


I'm On Cloud 9 With You

by M00BL00M



Series: Cloud 9 [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Angst, Anxiety, Crying, Cutesy, Daddy Issues, Depression, Dissociation, Drug Dealing, Drug Use, Drugs, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Falling In Love, Family Issues, Fluff and Angst, Hand & Finger Kink, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Insomnia, Love Confessions, M/M, Mommy Issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Praise Kink, Recreational Drug Use, Separation Anxiety, Size Difference, Size Kink, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Touch-Starved, Trust Issues, colourblind george (:, drug dealer Dream™
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:40:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 46,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27893209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M00BL00M/pseuds/M00BL00M
Summary: George was overall an innocent person, he didn't dabble in hard drugs. An edible every once in a while was more of his style.After a falling out with his last dealer, George needed to find a new one; Sapnap had recommended him a man named 'Dream'. Apparently, his stuff was high quality, and George couldn't pass that up. But, after meeting him for the first time, George couldn't stop thinking about him.It turns out that Dream couldn't either.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Implied Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Cloud 9 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2068071
Comments: 449
Kudos: 867





	1. If I Give My Heart To You

George bathed in the quietness of the park, usually, it was loud and filled with the aggressive honks of cars, but, It was evening; No one bothered to go out due to the chilly weather. George didn't even want to be out here, to be honest. But, he was meeting up with his new dealer for the first time. Sapnap had recommended Dream to George a few weeks ago; Apparently, Sap has been buying from him for a few years now, so George trusted Sapnap and placed an order. And, even though he was hesitant, Sapnap assured him he would be alright, and that Dream was a nice guy.

So, George sat in the chilly park, the sun drifting off into an array of colours that George wished he could see. Sapnap had tried to explain the sunset, and it's colouring a few times in the past, but George couldn't wrap his head around it and opt to believe that dusk was just a mash of yellow and darker yellows. George couldn't imagine a world where he could see the whole rainbow. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand up and chills run down his back.

George glanced around, rubbing his pointer finger and thumb idly. He looked down at his phone, pushing away the urge to roll his eyes as he saw Dream was five minutes late. Granted, George got here thirty minutes early. He could've saved himself the boredom and cold fingertips but after a short, yet heated, argument with his mother on the phone, his apartment felt restrictive. You'd think at twenty-four, George would've solved his mommy issues, but in the end, hadn't. He didn't bother trying much; His mother was a lost cause.

After his dad left, she got wrapped up in herself; Constantly bringing unknown men to the house, passing out drunk on the couch, and George tried his best to get her help, but George could only do so much at fifteen. He felt remorseful to leave his younger sister with her, but he couldn't afford to fund both of them. George tried to call her regularly and make sure she was doing okay. Sometimes he would help her with homework, teach her how to cook something- Anything to make up for leaving her. George was grateful she never lost her shine, though. She was always smiling whenever he called, talking about what happened at school that day or where she went with friends. She was optimistic, and George was happy about it.

George slipped out of his thoughtful state at the sound of footsteps, his eyes drifting towards the sound. He straightened himself out at the sight of a tall man, his hands in his pockets. A tense silence warped around the two as George studied the man, who George assumed was Dream and his features. He was good looking, George would admit. He had a broad, and sharp, jawline that had the ghost of stubble on it, George also noticed an indent on his chin, looking similar to a scar but George couldn't quite tell.

Going up, George could make out a small bump in his nose bridge; George was always a sucker for hooked noses. His cheekbones were low and flushed, probably from the cold, but George couldn't help but melt internally at the freckles that covered his cheeks, nose and even his eyelids.

''I'm assuming you're George?'' Dream asked, his tone friendly, even dipping into the calming category.

''Yeah, and I'm assuming you're Dream?'' George replied with a smile, trying to take the attention off of his flushed cheeks.

''You got it,'' Dream chuckled lowly, taking his hands out of his pockets. George stood up from the bench, his heart racing as he noticed their obnoxious height difference. Christ, he was giant.

George noticed how Dream's eyes widened once he stood up, probably equally as shocked. George made brief eye contact, catching notes of yellow and brown in his eyes, but he assumed the yellow was green. ''So, Sapnap told me you were nice, can you vouch for yourself?'' George joked as he walked up to Dream, standing a few feet away, confirming his suspicion that the indent is a scar.  
  
''Of course, I can, I am so kind.'' Dream rolled his eyes playfully while digging in the pocket of his hoodie. ''You ordered... The uh...'' Dream stammered as he pulled the package out of his pocket, glancing down at George. ''You ordered the Rice Krispies treat, right?'' He looked down at George now, holding eye contact. George felt the air get stuck in his throat, so instead of speaking, he nodded and hummed. ''Okay, sometimes I get stuff mixed... Uh... Mixed up.'' Dream said nervously, his eyes softening.

''That's alright, I'm not picky,'' George replied with a smile, watching as Dream's shoulders untensed.

''I'm glad,'' Dream chuckled, handing the silver foil package to George. George had paid online, previously.

George felt his hand brush against Dream's; His eyes widened like saucers as he pulled his hand back a little too quick. He muttered a small 'Sorry,' as his lips pursed nervously.

''It's alright, it happens to the best of us.'' Dream said softly, George's shoulders dipping at his tone.

''Well... I'll see you sometime soon?'' George questioned, trying to ignore the shakiness in his voice.   
  
''Yeah,'' Dream nodded, ''It was nice meeting you.'' Dream said as he started backing away with a smile, trying his best to not startle George further.   
  
''You too,'' George muttered while waving before turning around abruptly, biting his lip as he walked away. He was such an idiot! What was that!?

George huffed as he walked towards the entrance of the park, his hands shaking. Why was he so intimidated? He's done this dozen of times. George couldn't stop thinking of Dream's smile, his stomach filling with butterflies as he remembered his sharp canines. George wanted to run his fingers through Dream's dirty-blond hair so badly, it looked concerningly soft even in the dusky lighting. George put the foil package in his pocket and used his free hands to rub his face, which was burning. Even the chilly air couldn't calm how warm his face got.

George couldn't help but laugh at his stupidity, running a hand through his hair nervously. He probably looked crazy to any bystanders, but he could care less at the moment. George focused on getting home as quickly as possible, his feet dragging him on their own.

-

George unlocked his door with stable hands, considerably calmer than he was ten minutes ago. He still couldn't believe his stupidity, though. George yawned and closed the door behind himself, flicking the hallway light on. He looked down at his cat with a small smile, reaching his hand down and petting him.  
  
George lifted back up after a moment and walked towards the kitchen, his cat following in toe. George placed his phone on his kitchen counter along with the foil package before opening his cabinet, stretching his body to grab a cup. He opened his fridge and pulled out some apple juice, twisting the cap lazily and pouring some into the cup. George placed the container down and took a sip from the cup, humming with delight at the sweet taste. He put the cup down and twisted the cap back on the juice, putting it back in the fridge with a sigh. His mind went blank as he stood in his kitchen, sipping his apple juice.  
  
No important thoughts drew into his mind, it was eerily quiet, actually.

George stayed like that till nothing came from the cup anymore, placing it in the empty sink quietly. His cat looked up at him with a knowing stare and George rolled his eyes; He imagined his cat would be sassy if he could talk, he would probably make fun of George for acting like an idiot.  
That, or he would make fun of George for naming him Ollie; Whichever came first.

''C'mon,'' He murmured to Ollie as he grabbed his phone and made his way to his room, Ollie sat in the kitchen for a moment before trailing after him. George basically faceplanted onto his bed before rolling over and pulling his phone out, opening Sapnap's text.

**SappyNappy, 5:54pm**   
_'how'd it go?'_

**Gogy, 6:06pm**   
_'uhhm, pretty ok. hes rlly nice (:'_

**SappyNappy, 6:07pm**   
_'oh i know, he told me. were u rlly that nervous? lol'_

George felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment because, of course, Dream told him.

**Gogy, 6:07pm**   
_'he was rlly tall ):'_

**SappyNappy, 6:08pm**   
_'god, you are such a dork. he's not that tall LMFAO'_

**Gogy, 6:08pm**   
_'omg shut up, ur so mean )::::'_

**SappyNappy, 6:08pm**   
_'whatever nerd, get some rest or else ill steal peach from u 2morrow lol'_

George rolled his eyes, exhaling through his nose with exasperation. ''God, he is so...'' George trailed off before shaking his head.

**Gogy, 6:09pm**   
_'ugh ok, goodnight sapnap'_

**SappyNappy, 6:09pm**   
_'goodnight gogy (:'_

George shut his phone off after that and turned on his TV, pulling the covers over his legs. George couldn't see whatever was playing though, he could only think of Dream. His voice was soft, similar to honey, but there was something hidden under that, it was a mask. His thoughts trailed to Dream's smile again, his eyes closing at the image of Dream's canine teeth. What was his obsession with teeth? God, he was weird. George shook his head and opened his eyes, trying to think of something else.

The scar was intriguing, George was pretty sure he saw another one on the bridge of his nose, but he was too nervous see it correctly. George tried to imagine what happened to Dream for him to get those scars, his thoughts mostly ended in Dream winning whatever fight he was in. George didn't realise he was smiling until Ollie batted at his hand, causing him to lose his train of thought. ''What?'' He murmured, picking Ollie up and placing him on his chest. Ollie curled into his hands, purring quietly.

George forced himself to stop thinking about Dream; Instead, he brought his attention to the show, which was actually pretty cool once you got into the plot.  
  
After a few episodes of the show, it was ten pm, on the crisp of eleven. Had he really been there for almost six hours? George hummed in surprise, glancing down at Ollie still on his chest. George gently cupped Ollie and place him on the bed beside him, pulling the covers over both of them. George settled into the pillow, his thoughts relatively quiet as he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! so i decided to start an actual book, usually i stick to one-shots because im scared of not falling through with the book plans but i thought of this idea and thought it was cute (:  
> i just wanna clarify, i've only gotten high a few times and they were all through joints so i dont know that much about edibles, so im sorry if i mess something up.  
> also, i try to avoid describing dream in detail in my fics but i decided to go in with it this time so you guys have a better picture i guess
> 
> comments and kudos are greatly appreciated <3 
> 
> my carrd; https://m00bl00m.carrd.co/


	2. Goodnight Socialite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> george is guilty ):

A groggy feeling masked George's mind, a small exhale leaving him as he stretched, accidentally smacking Ollie in the face. ''Oh, I'm sorry.'' He muttered, his voice filled with exhaustion as Ollie glared at him. ''I said I was sorry,'' He murmured while looking back up, closing his eyes briefly. He stretched again, making sure to not smack Ollie this time.

George tried to avoid it, but his thoughts crept towards Dream. Why was he taking over George's mind? He wasn't falling for his drug dealer, no way. It made him chuckle, mostly because it was stupid and out of the question, but also because George felt the words held some truth.

He ignored that side though, for his mental healths sake. George groaned as Ollie jumped onto his chest, now staring down at him with bored eyes. ''God, what do you want?'' George rolled his eyes, pulling his face back as Ollie started pawing at it. ''Do you want food?'' George asked, raising his eyebrows as Ollie jumped off of his chest. George let out an exasperated groan, rolling over with heavy limbs, ''You are gonna be the death of me, Ollie.'' Ollie just meowed in response, disappearing into the kitchen.

George glanced at his phone on his nightstand, pushing the thought of using it away, _'I need to feed Ollie first,'_ he thought briefly. And no matter how much his mind protested, George pushed himself up and stretched again. George popped his knuckles as he walked into the kitchen, making eye contact with Ollie, who was sitting on the counter next to his food bowl.  
  
George looked at the clock as he made his way over to Ollie, a long groan leaving him at the bright '6:56' on the clock. ''It's so early, what the fuck.'' He groaned, rubbing his face. George wasn't a morning person, he would rather wake up at twelve PM then six AM any day. George opened his cabinet, pulling out a can of wet food and cracking it open with ease. Ollie looked at the can excitedly, but George's eyebrows furrowed in disgust as the food slid out of the can and fell into the bowl with a 'plop'.

''I don't know how you can eat that stuff,'' He murmured to Ollie while throwing the can out, watching as Ollie ate the food at a fast pace. ''Dude, calm down. You're gonna get sick-'' George said and pulled the bowl away from Ollie, grabbing a spoon from the drawer next to him. George scooped up some food up, nose scrunching in disgust at the smell. George put the food in front of Ollie's face, watching as Ollie ate the food without complaint. George kept it up until the bowl was empty, throwing the dirty spoon in the sink and placing the bowl down.

''I need to get you one of those special bowls,'' He said to Ollie, scratching his chin lovingly, ''Because you keep getting sick, and it's gross.'' George chuckled, moving his scratches from Ollie's chin to his head.  
  
''You're so needy,'' He murmured before pulling his hand away, a smile drifting over his features as Ollie meowed in distaste. George walked back towards his room and fell on his bed, Ollie jumping up next to him. ''You aren't gonna leave me alone today, are you?'' He asked Ollie, who stared at him. Of course, he wouldn't respond, he's a cat.

George propped himself up on the headboard, placing a pillow in the small of his back. ''It's so early...'' He groaned dramatically, huffing as he reached for his phone.

George froze when he was met from a text from Dream.

**Dream 6:59am**   
_'Good morning george (:'_

George threw his phone and rubbed his face, which was quickly growing hot. What the fuck- Why was Dream sending him a good morning text? None of his previous dealers did that, and some of them were his friends. George bit his lip, eyebrows furrowing as he stared at his phone. Should he reply? George tried to think about the pros and cons of the situation, finding nothing wrong in the end. ''God damnit,'' He murmured and picked his phone back up, his hands shaking as he opened iMessage.

**Gogy 7:13am**   
_'hi dream, good morning!'_

George looked over his text after he sent it; Did he sound too excited? George bit his nails nervously, freezing up as he saw the text bubbles moving.

**Dream 7:13am**   
_'Did you get to try the edible yet? :P'_

George smiled at the emoji, his cheeks becoming flushed. God, over an emoji? He needed to touch some grass...

**Gogy 7:14am**   
_'not yet !! i was super tired last night ):: why?'_

**Dream 7:15am**   
_'Oh, I tried a new recipe and i just wanted some feedback'_

**Gogy 7:15am**   
_'welllll, i plan to go out with some friends l8r, i can tell u then if u want? [:'_

**Dream 7:15am**   
_'Yeah that works (:'_

George couldn't help but feel butterflies as he read the texts, even if he was slightly intimidated by his use of auto-caps. Now that George thought about it, most of the people he interacted with didn't have auto-caps on, but it fit Dream.

Disappointment budded in his stomach as he thought about it more; Dream probably just wanted to make sure his product was consumer-friendly. George wasn't special, but he liked to believe he was. George looked at Ollie with disappointment, reaching his hand out to pet him. ''I'm always getting ahead of myself,'' He murmured as Ollie rubs his face into George's palm.  
  
''The world would probably be like... So cool, if I didn't get ahead of myself. Don't you think?'' He asked Ollie, who looked at him with an eery silence. ''Jesus, I'm talking to my cat-'' George exhaled dramatically, pulling his hands away and rubbing his face with them. ''I need to talk to someone who can respond, sorry Ollie.'' He murmured as he grabbed his phone, FaceTiming his sister.

It rang a few times before he was met with the face of his sister, a bright smile on her features. ''Good morning, Gogy!'' She said excitedly, flopping down onto her bed.

''Good morning, Hannah,'' George said, elongating good dramatically.  
  
''You're up so early, that's new for you.'' She said offhandedly, rubbing her sheets between her fingers.  
  
''Yeah, Ollie woke me up,'' He rolled his eyes and flipped the camera to show Ollie.  
  
''Hi, Ollie!'' His sister waved with a smile.  
  
''You gotta come to visit me soon, Ollie would love you,'' George said while flipping the camera, making sure to smile.  
  
''I can talk to Jess about bringing me to the train station, but you'll have to deal with mum.'' She rolled her eyes, her tone shifting into an annoyed one near the end.

''Yeah, I deal with her a lot. This won't be very different,'' He murmured, copying her tone. ''How has she been?'' He asked, his worry growing as he watched Hannah frown.  
  
''Well, she's seeing this new guy, his name is David. He's kind of a tool, but the last time I said that I got yelled at.'' Hannah chuckled, even though her tone was showing her hurt. ''But, she's currently on the couch again, like usual.'' She said, looking up and making brief eye contact with George.

''Well, are you okay?'' He asked, almost regretting the question when Hannah bit her lip and furrowed her brows.  
  
''Is it okay to say I'm not?'' She asked, sounding genuine.  
  
''Yeah, Of course, it is.'' He reassured her, his heart dropping as she started to tear up.  
  
''No, I'm not. I can't wait to leave, George.'' She exhaled, trying to curb her emotions as she wiped her tears.  
  
''Two more years, It'll be okay. You can start visiting me more often, I promise. I'm sorry.'' George said, trying to give her some hope.  
  
''You don't have to say sorry, George,'' She murmured, ''I know you mean the best, I just wish I wasn't here.'' She said softly, pushing her hair behind her ear.

''How about you visit me next week? I can pay for your cab and train.'' He said, praying that she would say yes.  
  
''Sure... Can we go to the park?'' She asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly. ''Of course, we can do whatever you want, within reason, of course.'' He added the last bit, chuckling.  
  
''If that's the case, can we also get ice cream?'' She asked, her smile returning as George nodded.  
  
''Yup! Whatever you want, kid.'' He smirked, watching her smile return.  
  
''Thank you,'' She said quietly before jumping at the knock of her door. ''Shit-'' She shuffled, sitting up. ''I gotta go, I'll see you later, Gogy.'' She murmured quickly, ending the call. George stared at himself on the screen, not bothering to hide his frown.

George shakes his head, borderline painful sensations of guilt pooling in his stomach. He exhaled and rubbed his face one more time, closing his eyes for a brief moment before Ollie meowed. ''C'mere,'' He murmured, scooping Ollie up and bringing him towards his chest, holding him like a baby. George sat like that with Ollie in his arms for an hour, deep in thought.  
-  
George stared into the mirror, turning to the side and studying his appearance. His hair was messy no matter how many times he tried to style it, and his outfit was still wrinkled no matter how many times he ironed it. So, after the third attempt at everything, George gave up. He tried to ignore the tiredness that crept into his eyes as he pulled out his phone, a small yawn leaving him as he texted Sapnap.

**Gogy, 12:35**   
_'im gonna b heading over in like 30 mins'_

**SappyNappy, 12:35**   
_'it's only 12 tho?? the others wont even arrive till like 5pm lol'_

**Gogy, 12:35**   
_'i know, but im tired and i want to take a nap :/'_

**SappyNappy, 12:36**   
_'okie dokie, c u soon :*'_

George rolled his eyes in faux exasperation at the kissy-face before shutting his phone off, glancing at Ollie. ''I'll see you tomorrow, buddy.'' He whispered, placing a small kiss to his forehead. Ollie meowed, watching as George grabbed a foil package and left the house; Ollie looked out the window to see George on the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning !
> 
> i'm so glad to see positive feedback on this idea (: i don't plan to have an upload schedule, but think about a few uploads a week maybe?
> 
> and, i have a question (that hopefully people will answer-), would some of you like the idea of smut? (10+ chapters in, at the least) it would be completely skippable any time and unimportant to the storyline so anyone can skip if they don't feel comfortable reading it ! [:
> 
> comments and kudos are appreciated (:::!  
> my carrd; https://m00bl00m.carrd.co/
> 
> (repost because of formatting issues)


	3. Tongue Tied

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> basically george just gets high and thinks abt dream, cwazy !!

Sapnap stared at George's sleeping figure with a soulful feeling, Sapnap knew how tired he was, hell, he barely slept. 

His chest rose and fell slowly, and if Sapnap hadn't been keeping a constant eye on him, he would've assumed he was dead. ''You need to start taking care of yourself,'' He whispered towards the opened air, but he hoped it got to George somehow. There were multiple nights where Sapnap would be woken by his phone ringing, they were always between two and three am, and when Sapnap would answer, he could hear the anguishing sobs from George. He tried his best, and he tried to get George therapy, but George always refused it, claiming he wasn't _'ill enough'_. 

Sapnap knew that was bullshit, but he would never force George to do something. So, he just kept an eye on the older, he tried to recommend sleeping earlier, eating something, whatever Sapnap could; But he didn't know if it was working. Aside from the few times that George broke down in front of him, he was a closed-off person, even to his best friend. 

A series of soft knock, followed by two bangs, drew Sapnap out of his thoughts. Sapnap stood up and walked to the door, opening it to reveal Alex and Karl.  
  
''O-M-G, finally.'' Karl rolled his eyes and strolled in, shoving past Sapnap.  
  
''Damn, hi to you too,'' He said sarcastically, moving over a bit so Alex could get in.  
  
''Hi Sappitusnappitus,'' Alex said, giving a lazy smile.  
  
''Stuff's in the kitchen,'' Sapnap said, watching as Alex walked down the hall with no further words. 

Sapnap went down the second hall, back to the living room, to see Karl sprawled out on a chair with his phone and George still asleep. ''Dude, I accidentally stepped on his hand, and he didn't even move,'' Karl whispered, looking up at Sapnap. ''Are you sure he's alive?''

''Yeah, trust me, I've been checking,'' Sapnap murmured back, taking a seat next to him. Karl showed his phone to Sapnap, playing a video of the two of them drunk off their asses.  
  
''Dude, I didn't even know I had this video,'' Karl chuckled, a small smile appearing on his features. Sapnap couldn't help but linger on the brunet's face, his heart softening at the way Karl laughed and continued showing him videos of the both of them.

''Do you even remember this one?'' Karl asked while swiping to a new video of Sapnap smoking, and then giving the camera a smokey smile.  
  
''No, I'm pretty sure we got drunk as fuck though,'' He replied with a smile, watching as Karl's eyes lit up.  
  
''Dude, we had so much fun,'' He giggled, starting to explain the whole night to Sapnap. 

-

George shuffled at the feeling of someone touching his head, pulling back with a groan. He hummed, opening his eyes slightly to see Alex. ''Holy shit, guys, he's alive,'' Alex said with excitement, his face lighting up. ''He's cold though,'' He added, rubbing his hands together dramatically.  
  
''I'm not that cold,'' He sleepily murmured, stretching his arms out.  
  
''Dude, you were asleep for like five hours, when did you go to sleep last night?'' Sapnap asked, his tone hinting with concern.

''I dunno, probably like... Eleven? Woke up at seven-ish.'' He yawned, not missing how Sapnap furrowed his eyebrows.  
  
''Dude, you sleep so much,'' Sapnap said with faux annoyance and then shook his head.  
  
''Well, we're gonna be starting soon, wake up,'' Sapnap said while shoving his shoulder gently, George rolling his eyes and sticking his tongue out in return. After a minute of protest from his mind, he stood up with a groan, stretching again. He left the living room and walked into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind himself. He made eye contact with himself in the mirror, a small grimace washing over him as he looked at his unwashed hair.  
  
 _'I need to take a shower when I get home...'_

George did his business and washed his hands after, still staring at himself in the mirror while shutting the lights off and closing the door. He shook his head and walked back to the living room to be met with Karl laying his head on Sapnap's lap. '' _Oooooo_ , you guy's finally get something going?'' He joked, watching as Karl jumped up and sat up straight.

George let out a hearty laugh, almost doubling over. ''I'll take that as a no,'' He said in-between laughs before catching his breath.

''Shut up, Gogy. Are you ready to get started?'' Sapnap asked, giving a side glance towards Karl.  
  
''Yeah,'' He hummed, giving Sapnap a curt nod.  
  
''Alright, I'll be right back, Karl, go get Alex,'' Sapnap said while getting up, lingering on Karl for a moment more before leaving the living room. Karl stood up next and walked past George with a playful eye roll, leaving George to stand alone in the living room. 

He couldn't help but think of Dream, and what he was doing right now. _'I still have to tell him what I think about his baking,'_ He thought, biting his lip briefly. 

Considering how many clients Dream has, his baking must be astonishing, but George wanted to talk to him, and not just about his stock; George wanted to get to know Dream. George pulled out his phone, unlocking it with shaking hands and pressing Dream's contact. _'I should wait, I don't wanna seem desperate.'_ George huffed, glancing up as Sapnap, Alex, and Karl walked back in.  
  
Sapnap held the foil package that George had been waiting to open, his mind shaking with excitement. Sapnap sat down next to George while Alex and Karl set up the switch. 

Sapnap opened the package, pulling a delicately wrapped brick out. It was large, George couldn't quite remember the dose for it, but he knew it was on the higher end of the spectrum. Sapnap unwrapped the edible and split it into four, somewhat, equal pieces, handing one to George.  
  
Once Karl and Alex sat down, Sapnap handed them a piece. George couldn't help but stare at the treat for a moment before taking a bite, chewing quietly.  
  
Mixed into the sweetness of the marshmallows was a hint of mint and pine, it fits well with it though; The sweetness masked most of it, so it wasn't overbearing. George thought back to the first time he tried an edible and was met with a sour, and disgusting taste; Turns out George just didn't know who to buy from. George popped the last bit into his mouth and pulled out his phone, opening Dream's contact.

**Gogy, 6:39PM**   
_'hey ur rlly good at baking (:: ur stuff is super high quality.'_

**Dream, 6:41PM**   
_'Thank you, I didn't wanna cheat people out lol it would've made me feel bad.'_

George felt his cheeks heat up, a small smile drifting onto his features.

**Gogy, 6:41PM**   
_'understandable !! well, i'm gonna go and pay attention 2 the others goodnight (::'_

**Dream, 6:42PM**   
_'Have fun, text me if you need anything (:'_

George raised an eyebrow at that, yet again, none of his previous dealers did that. Maybe it was for liability? George wouldn't be surprised, with how Dream produces his goods, he must have some sort of system. George puts his phone back into his pocket and looks up towards the TV, watching as Karl beat Sapnap's ass.

Mario flew off of the map, and Sapnap let out a groan of annoyance. ''Dude, how are you so good? Have you been practising?'' Sapnap asked, and Karl just smirked without any further words. ''George, connect your controller,'' Sapnap turned to George as he connected it, watching the screen split into four screens. He was quick to choose Princess Peach before Sapnap could, smiling as Sapnap glared at him.  
  


* * *

  
  
Five or so hours had passed, George felt his fingers twitch on the controller, but they felt disconnected. George glanced down at his fingers to make sure they were still connected, relief flooding his system to see them still attached. George groaned as the screen flashed bright red 

**'YOU LOST!'**

George didn't understand why he bothered to do a one-vs-one with Sapnap, he always beat him. ''You're so annoying,'' He giggled, looking at Sapnap.  
  
''You just suck at the game,'' Sapnap countered back, placing the controller down. ''I'm gonna go lay down. Goodnight George,'' Sapnap said with a yawn before lazily getting up, leaving him in the living room with a sleeping Alex and a half-asleep Karl.  
  
George felt the initial high was over, now being left in a dazed state. He laid down on the couch, half-lidded eyes staring at the bright screen of the TV, still displaying the **'YOU LOST!'** message. His thoughts drifted to Dream for what seemed like the one-hundredth time today, mostly his voice.

George thought about how nice it would be to hear Dream whisper words of affection, with his large hand running through George's hair while he fell asleep. George's stomach fluttered at the thought; Heat engulfing his face as he smiled lazily. 

His thoughts drifted into a more intimate situation, with Dream holding him and slow-dancing with him; He felt like he was in the moment, with Dream's body heat keeping his, usually, cold body warm, wrapped in his embrace. George didn't understand why Dream was taking over his thoughts, it's unethical to think about Dream this way, but he can't help it.

George fell asleep to the thought of Dream hugging him, and lulling him to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning, as per usual. i'm pumping chapters out like crazy (::
> 
> again, super glad to see positive feedback ! it means a lot to me. the plot is gonna start moving in the next chapter, i promise. oh, and i updated the tags a little bit ! including some nsfw ones but we won't talk about those yet [: also, i dont regret making quackity a stoner- hes fits the role and we're hopefully gonna be seeing more of him. with some george and quackity interactions (i love their irl dynamic !!) and hopefully some more george and karl interactions !! who knows 
> 
> comments and kudos are appreciated !  
> my carrd; https://m00bl00m.carrd.co/


	4. Bike Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> george is a mf SIMP and he takes a shower

The sound of shuffling woke George up, his eyes fluttering open to see Alex on his hands and knees on the floor, seeming to be looking for something. George's face contorted in disgust at the dry feeling that coated his mouth, shaking his head and closing his eyes again. The shuffling continued for a few seconds more before Alex got up and left; George contemplated going back to bed, his limbs felt heavy, and the tiredness was overbearing. George had been sleeping a lot, but he didn't have a reason to stay up during the day if he was going to be honest.

George took a deep breath, his shoulders trembling and then falling. George didn't want to be awake, it felt like his whole body was being dragged down. 

''George, wake up,'' His eyes snapped open to see Sapnap leaning over him. ''You gotta get outta here soon unless you wanna hear me being a sex god,'' Sapnap said, only half-joking.  
  
''Ugh, you're so gross,'' George groaned, pushing Sapnap away half-heartedly.  
  
''Seriously though, start getting up,'' Sapnap said while walking away, flicking the living room light on and blinding George.  
  
''Fuck you,'' George muttered, using his arm to shield his eyes from the light. George slowly pulled his arm away from his face, letting his eyes adjust. George glanced around, met with Sapnap's living room, in the same position he had fallen asleep in. 

The same place he fell asleep to the thought of Dream.

George couldn't help but feel his hand's clench, the thought of Dream holding him still on the back of his mind. _'I'm such a creep,'_ George couldn't help but think, a frown casting over his features. George shook his head and grabbed his phone, inhaling sharply as a notification popped up.

**Dream, 10:34AM**   
_'Good morning, George (: how was last night?'_

George put his phone down and stared into the blank screen of the TV, trying to collect his thoughts. Why was he still sending George good morning texts? _'Probably Liability,'_ George thought, trying to come up with an excuse that didn't make his heart flutter away. With a sigh, he picked his phone back up and opened iMessage, replying with shaky hands.

**Gogy, 10:36AM**   
_'gmorning dream !! last night was good (:: we played smash 4 a lil while and the high was gr8 !'_

**Dream, 10:36AM**   
_'I'm glad to hear that! (: Sapnap told me you split the edible with everyone, were you looking to get more?'_

George couldn't help but frown, a clawing sensation filling his chest; Disappointment. George should've known Dream was just trying to get money out of him, he was weak, didn't know how to stand up for himself, and didn't tell other people about his issues. _'But how would he know that?'_ George thought, furrowing his brows. _'Sapnap probably told him,'_

**Gogy, 10:37AM**   
_'uhmmmm, yeah probably,''_

**Dream, 10:37AM**   
_'I have a new item in stock. Do you like gummy worms?'_

**Gogy, 10:37AM**   
_'yeah (::'_

**Dream, 10:37AM**   
_'Okay, what about sour gummy worms? (: <' _

**Gogy, 10:37AM**   
_'even better !!'_

**Dream, 10:38AM**   
_'Well, I can give you a discount if you want (: Since you're a friend of Sap's'_

George felt his chest ache, and his stomach clench uncomfortably, his brows furrowing and his mind racing with questions. _'Maybe he isn't trying to use me for money,'_ He thought, biting his lip.

**Gogy, 10:39AM**   
_'only if u want'_

**Dream, 10:39AM**   
_'I'll cut the price in half just for you, cutie (:'_

George sat up abruptly, almost hitting his knee on the coffee table. ''What,'' He whispered to himself, rereading the text over, and over. Was this real? Was he dreaming? George pulled at his fingers, excitement rushing through his veins as they didn't stretch. This was real. 

**Gogy, 10:40AM**   
_'aw omg thank u dream ):: thats so nice of u'_

**Dream, 10:40AM**   
_'Anything for a friend of a friend (:'_

George didn't respond after that, mostly so he didn't embarrass himself, but also so he didn't have to hear Sapnap banging someone. He put his phone down and stood up, starting to collect his stuff. George chewed at his lip consistently, not shocked when he tasted metal. ''Gross,'' He murmured, straightening himself out and leaving the living room. He turned into the bathroom, double-taking his appearance with a grimace. _'Jesus, I need to shower.'_ He shook his head and shut the door, washing his mouth out with some mouthwash. 

George did his business, washed his hands and left, grabbing his bag, and his phone, that sat at the end of Sapnap's couch. ''Sap! I'm leaving!'' He yelled, glancing towards the ceiling.  
  
''Bye Gogy!'' Sapnap yelled back, poking his head out from the top of the stairs.  
  
''I'll see you later,'' George said while opening the door, shutting it after himself and striding down Sapnap's porch with shaky steps. He pulled his phone out, eyes lingering on Dream's message. After a second of debate, he opened his contact.

**Gogy, 10:57AM**   
_'when and where did u wanna meet up??'_

**Dream, 10:57AM**   
_'Does tomorrow work? Same place and time.'_

**Gogy, 10:57AM**   
_'that works 4 me, see u soon !! :*'_

George sucked a breath in at the kissy face, almost slapping himself for his stupidity.  
  
''God...'' He murmured, rubbing his chilly face. ''I am an issue,'' He said aloud, running a hand through his hair. George couldn't help but feel warm at Dream's discount; Dealer's don't commonly hand those out, for a multitude of reasons, let alone a first time customer.  
  
George wanted to believe he was special, he really did, but George knew he wasn't.  
  
Dream seemed like a generous guy, even when it came to this stuff. A small smile drifted onto his features at the thought though, his brain somehow changing to the topic of Dream holding a puppy. It was sickeningly cute.

George turned the corner, glancing into the mostly empty street. _'Was Dream good at driving?'_ He thought, his eyebrows raising. _'Does he even drive?'_

George tilted his head, almost laughing at the dumb thought. _'Does he have any pets? Any siblings?'_ George wondered if his potential sibling would get along with Hannah, or if his potential pet would get along with Ollie. George just wanted to get to know Dream on a more personal level, whether it was attraction or a weird obsession was up for debate, but George ignored that side of it. George turned again, looking up from the pavement to see his apartment building. Had he been walking that long?

George shook his head and jogged up the stairs, opening the door quietly. George looked at his mailbox for a second, debating whether or not he should check it, but after a moment decided not to. It was too much energy that George didn't have. He pressed the elevator button, tapping his foot as it came down and opened its doors. George walked in, sighing as he pushed the third-floor button, bopping his head to the music playing.

The music slowly drifted out of his hearing range as the doors open, walking into the hallway. George's body felt heavy as he got closer to his door, a small wreathe on the front of it. He was a jolly fellow.

George unlocked the door, pushing it open to reveal Ollie in front of it.  
  
''Have you been here this whole time?'' He asked Ollie while he walked into the house and closed the door. Ollie blinked, letting out a short meow. ''I'll take that as a yes, do you want some food?'' He asked, making his way over to the kitchen.  
  
Ollie meowed again and jumped onto the counter, sitting in front of his bowl. ''You're so smart, y'know that right?'' George murmured while opening the cabinet, pulling out a can of wet food. He cracked it open, nose scrunching at the smell; No matter how many times he opened one of these cans, the smell was always overbearing. 

George grabbed a spoon out of the drawer, scooping a little bit out of the can and holding it out to Ollie, who ate it happily until the can was empty. George threw the spoon into the sink, cringing as it clashed with the other unwashed spoon. _'I need to do those,_ ' He thought to himself, brushing it off tiredly. George almost walked into his room, steps faltering as he remembered he had to shower. ''Fuck,'' He murmured and turned around, walking towards the bathroom. 

George opened and closed the door, trying his best to ignore his appearance while looking for a towel. Once he found one, he turned the water on, sticking two fingers under the stream until it was the correct temperature. George tiredly took off his shirt, scratching at his ribs before taking his jeans and boxers off.

George stepped into the stream of water, closing his eyes as the hot water worked its way into his muscles. He reached for the shampoo after basking in the water for a second, popping the cap and pouring a little into his hand; He put the container down and started running the shampoo through his hair, his movements slow and lazy. Why was he so tired, all the time. 

George continued with his routine, washing the shampoo out after five minutes and pouring some conditioner into his hair, working it into his roots. George smiled at the idea of Dream washing his hair before shoving the thought away, guilt running through his body.

''I'm so gross,'' He murmured, rolling his eyes as he washed the conditioner out. After, George washed his body and rinsed himself off, turning the water off with regret as the cold air engulfed his naked form. George quickly wrapped a towel around himself, trying to calm his trembling body. ''I hate the weather,'' He groaned while shutting off the light and opening the door, making eye contact with Ollie. ''You are always up my ass, dude,'' George muttered while stepping over him, making his way to his room. 

George shut the door and walked over to his dresser, pulling out a pair of boxers, sweatpants and a hoodie. George ran the towel over his hair, wiping the rest of his body off quickly. Once he was dry, he pulled the clothing on and sighed as warmth covered his figure. George put his towel next to his door, making a mental note to wash it tomorrow. 

George opened the door and let Ollie into his room, his eyes lingering on the grey cat for a moment. ''You're such a pretty kitty, Ollie,'' George said, running a hand down his back. Ollie meowed, glancing back at George. ''Okay, quiet down now, I need to finish a project.'' He whispered to Ollie, trying to ignore how crazy he sounded. 

With tired legs, he walked over to his desk and sat down, pulling his notebook out. He started to write, the scratch of the pen loud in the, otherwise, quiet room. 

_'I hope I can finish this before tomorrow.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what?? a double update?? thats insanely crazy!!
> 
> anyways yeah, i got bored and decided to write another chapter (:: fun fact abt this story, all of the chapters are named after whatever song im listening to when im abt to publish them! I think that's pretty cool (: im super excited for next chapter, i hope you guys will like it !
> 
> comments and kudos are appreciated !  
> (i didnt edit this before posting, so im sorry about any typos, missed italic/bold texts, etc.)  
> my carrd; https://m00bl00m.carrd.co/


	5. High For This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> george meets dream at the park and ends up stunned bc dream is a smug asshole and knows his weakness lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos are appreciated! please see end notes for important info <3
> 
> **trigger warning for suicide ideation at the start of the chapter!**  
>  **content warning for mildly sexual scenes/implied sexual content**

George looked around, taking in the changing scenery of the park. Leaves were starting to fall off the trees, and it was chilly; Winter was near, and George had no complaints. He wasn't exactly a fan of winter, mostly because he was always cold as is, but winter beat summer any day of the week. George tapped his fingers on the bench, quietly humming a song that his dad used to sing to him. 

Hannah was going to be visiting him next week; George was excited, for the most part, but there was a feeling of guilt still in his body. He knew that Hannah had already forgiven him, or he hoped at least, but deep down, he felt that there was still some bitterness for him. Whether it was as bad as George makes it out to be, there had to be some. Or, maybe he's just insecure.  
  
George was tired of everything, his only reasons to live were Hannah, Ollie and Sapnap; He stayed for them, and he would until they're gone. The thought was grim, but George found that it crossed his mind often. He didn't fantasise about his death regularly, and he didn't have a plan, but the thought was always in the back of his mind, nagging at him.  
  
In reality, he knew how damaging taking his own life would be, he's had it happen to him, and the feelings that came along with it were dreadful. Once no one knew him though, would it really be that much of an issue? George furrowed his brows, biting his lip nervously.

Maybe he should listen to Sapnap and go to therapy. 

It didn't sound too bad, maybe it would help his self-destructive behaviours; Does he really even have any though? George shook his head and forced himself to move onto a different subject. 

George looked up from his lap, his lips pursing as the park emptied, the shrill shrieks of children and the annoying barks of dogs becoming obsolete, leaving George in eery silence. The sun was on the crisp of disappearing into blends of yellow and darker yellow hues, some hints of blue near the shoreline. George wished he could see it in its true colours, maybe his life would be less dull; His apartment lacked colourful decoration because of his colourblindness, at most you'd find a few blue, or purple, objects.

Maybe he should have Sapnap come shopping with him to get more colourful decor, so his guests didn't have to look at the beige decorations. George turned his head as footsteps came into his hearing range, being met with the same tall figure as the day before last. George smiled softly and stood up, shoulders tensing at their height difference; He'd probably never get used to it. 

''Hi Dream,'' George said, looking up toward's the blond.  
  
''Hey,'' Dream replied, giving a toothy smile. George felt his fist clench in his pocket, eyeing the man's canine teeth with a faltering smile. George let his eyes fall, looking at his broad shoulders. Why was he so much larger than George in every aspect? He felt delicate around Dream. It seemed his silence made Dream falter and stop smiling, raising an eyebrow. ''You okay?'' He asked, eyes widening as George jumped.  
  
''Uhm! Yeah, yeah, I'm fine,'' He babbled, raising his hands in submission. Dream put on a smug smile, his eyes glinting dangerously.

''Well, here you go,'' Dream said while reaching into his pocket, pulling out another foil package, significantly smaller than the latter. George grabbed it with shaking hands, making sure not to touch Dream's hand in the process. ''So, Sapnap told me you were in college; What are you majoring in?'' Dream asked when George put the package in his pocket, looking the smaller boy over.  
  
''Uhm, Computer Science,'' George stammered, looking up and making eye contact with Dream. It was grossly obvious how nervous George was, and it made Dream smug. 

''I actually turned in a project like... Ten minutes before leaving,'' George admitted, looking back down.  
  
''Ah, I'm proud of you!'' Dream said, holding up a thumbs up. George looked at Dream's hand nervously, tracing the outline of it, ''Good boy.''

George froze, eyes going wide. He clenched his fist, his knuckles becoming white as he made eye contact with Dream. _'He knows what he's doing.'_ George couldn't help but think, seeing the smug glint in his eyes. ''U...Uhm, Yea... Yeah..'' He stammered out, trying to ignore how badly his face burned. George watched with irritation as Dream gave him a toothy smile. _'He totally knows what he's doing!'_ George mentally yelled, before his eyes softened at the sight of the others canine teeth. _'Back off,'_

George faltered, his body became loose, and his eyes dropped to the floor; An act of submission. It seemed to please Dream, who tilted his head a bit, still giving George a smug smirk. ''Welp! I gotta get going, Georgie. It was good seeing you!'' Dream said before turning around, walking with his hands in his pockets and leaving George shaking like a leaf in the wind. George turned around, biting his lip hard.  
  
''What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck-'' He babbled, holding his face with one hand.

George speed-walked, trying to ignore the warmth pooling in his abdomen as he looked into the situation farther. ''What the hell!'' He whisper-yelled, trying to calm his shaking figure. George was okay with what happened, mostly due to his own desires. Was Dream really aware? Or was he just praising him for doing his work? Was his personality that clear? George shook his head, taking a deep breath in. _'You're fine,'_

Yeah, he was alright. He was fine! Dream is just an asshole. 

George walked home with shaking hands and a nagging warmth across his body.

-

George faceplanted onto his bed, letting out a loud yell into his pillow. ''Oh my god,'' He murmured, taking his face out of the pillow and pulling his phone out. 

**Gogy, 7:34PM**   
_'dream is so evil hes so evil sap omg )::'_

**SappyNappy, 7:34PM**   
_'lol why??'_

George inhaled, mentally preparing for Sapnap to make fun of him. 

**Gogy, 7:35PM**   
_'he asked abt my college, and i told him i turned a project in and he called me a good boy- SAP.. ????'_

**SappyNappy, 7:35PM**   
_'LMFAO UR KIDDING-'_

**Gogy, 7:35PM**   
_'no!!! ):'_

**SappyNappy, 7:35PM**   
_'awww, poor gogy.'_   
**SappyNappy, 7:35PM**   
_'well, u better mentally prepare because hes coming to the apartment tomorrow LMFAOOOO'_

**Gogy, 7:35PM**   
_'nonono ur joking right??? sap i cant see him after that uve gonna be kidding me !!!'_

**SappyNappy, 7:36PM**   
_'nope, no jokes, and ur coming over tomorrow (:'_

George turned back onto his pillow and screamed again, chills running down his back as thought about tomorrow. There's no way he could get out of hanging with Sapnap. _'How am I supposed to face him after that!?'_

George shook his head and turned his phone back on.

**Gogy, 7:37PM**   
_'fuck u ihy'_

They were half-filled words, but George couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He was worried about tomorrow. _'It won't be that bad, you can just ignore him.'_

_'That's mean.'_

George turned his phone off and placed it on his nightstand, making eye contact with Ollie who gave him another knowing look. ''Shut up,'' He murmured to his cat before flopping down on his bed again, lazily pulling the covers over himself. Despite it being so early, George was tired.

''God...'' He groaned, smushing his face into his pillow farther. ''I hate it here,'' George said to himself. With a sigh of resignation, George forced his brain to shut itself off, drifting into a dreamless sleep.

He was so fucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys, i have a little bit more of a serious authors note here. 
> 
> (trigger warning for police brutality, death)
> 
> on dec. fourth, Casey Goodson, a 23 year old black man, was murdered in cold blood when his lunch was, somehow, mistaken for a gun. he was shot in the back three times when entering his home because a 17-year veteran deputy 'mistook' him for a fugitive, yet after it was confirmed Casey was NOT the fugitive, and instead was an innocent man, Peter Tobin is saying the shooting was justified. 
> 
> Over a sandwich. 
> 
> i know i like to joke around, but this is a very serious topic and i like to believe that i'm passionate about it. POC should not fear existing because of their skin tone. the amount of injustice that the black community has faced is absolutely horrible, and i'm sorry to any of those who have been effected by racism. my heart goes out to all the families who have lost somebody due to police brutality/racism. 
> 
> I'm going to link some carrds and petitions down below, i'm unsure of ao3's policy on money, so i will not be putting donation links, but, the carrds will hold donation links, and if you have any extra cash, i high suggest donating some. every penny counts. 
> 
> **DO NOT DONATE TO CHANGE . ORG, THEY POCKET THE MONEY AND MOST, IF NOT ALL, OF IT DOESN'T GO TO THE CAUSE YOU DONATED FOR.**
> 
> (these links are safe /srs /gen)  
> https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/  
> -  
> https://signatures.carrd.co/  
> -  
> https://www.change.org/p/demand-justice-for-casey-christian-goodson-jr?recruiter=867969419&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_abi&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=f6266180-391f-11e8-9eaa-d19510529412  
> -  
> https://dotherightthing.carrd.co/  
> -  
> https://pendingpetition.carrd.co/
> 
> **i will be linking the black lives matter carrd in every authors note in place of my carrd, i hope that my platform will speak and petitions and donations will reach their goals. i love all of you. (:**


	6. Sweater Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> george is cold and dream is a simp (:  
> do you see where this is going?

**Scratch, scratch, scratch...**

_'Huh?'_

**Scratch, scratch, scratch...**

_'What's that noise?'_

George turned towards the sound, opening his eyes half-way to see Ollie pawing at his door. ''Dude,'' He groaned, rubbing his face and pulling his eyes down in frustration. ''It's like, hellishly early,'' He said with a sleep filled voice, eyeing Ollie with a glare. George wasn't sure if it was actually early, he just assumed. 

''Aw fuck, wait-'' George sucked in a sharp breath and sat up abruptly, remembering last night. He had almost forgotten. ''You're kidding me,'' He said aloud, flopping back down with a sigh.  
  
''I literally cannot see him after that, what the hell,'' George muttered, tapping his bed anxiously.   
  
George took a second to breathe, inhaling for a few seconds and then exhaling for a few more. It isn't the fact that George didn't like what happened last night, it's the fact that he enjoyed it too much. George was twenty-four, and his most recent, and last, experiment remotely similar to last night was online. It was much more effective when you're face to face; George wasn't even standing up right now, but his knees felt weak like he could fall at any moment. The way heat spread through his body, even when it was 12 degrees, was absurd.  
  
George seriously needs to stop thinking of his dealer, it was getting concerning now. _'Does this normally happen?'_

Was George one of few? He doubted it; He isn't special. 

George looked at his ceiling, tracing the cracks in the paint, only now noticing the discolouration. _'Was that always there?'_ His apartment was old, he didn't doubt it; Considering his landlord looked like he was about to become dust and float away. The thought made him chuckle and then frown. _'That was fucked up,'_ George rolled his eyes at his own thoughts, _'It's not like he's here to hear it, he probably can't even hear.'_ George laughed and slapped his hand over his mouth. ''Oh my god, I need to stop,'' He said, the words muffled from under his hand.  
  
''I am such an issue, put me out of my misery,'' He exhaled, removing his hand from his mouth to look at Ollie, who was still sitting in front of his door. ''Do you want food?'' He asked, taking a deep breath to recover from his laughing fit. Ollie meowed, and meowed, and meowed continuously. ''Okay, okay, I get it,'' He rolled his eyes and stood up, holding his arms out as he wobbled. George pulled his arms back to his sides once he was sure he wouldn't fall and walked up to his door, opening it.

Ollie darted out, letting out a long meow as he entered the kitchen. ''You're always so loud, you need to be quiet for once,'' He murmured, watching as Ollie jumped onto the counter in front of his bowl. George opened his cabinet, looking between the two choices of wet food. ''Do you want chicken or salmon?'' He asked, looking at Ollie who stared at him eerily.  
  
''Chicken it is,'' He muttered, grabbing one of the chicken cans. He put the can down and opened the utensil drawer, pulling a spoon out. ''You're dirtying all my dishes, y'know?'' George said, putting the utensil down and cracking open the can with disgust. George grabbed the spoon and scooped some food onto it, holding it out to Ollie who ate it happily.  
  
''Let's have a pep talk,'' He said to Ollie, who just looked up at him and continued eating. ''I have to see Dream today, Sapnap is forcing me to see him for whatever reason,'' He started, scooping up some more food. ''But I don't want to see him, cause he embarrassed me last night.''

''But I also don't want to be mean and ignore him, so what should I do?'' He asked, his lips pursing awkwardly at the lack of response. ''You're a pretty terrible wingman,'' He said while scooping more food, now looking toward's the clock. ''It's only nine? What the hell,'' He murmured, shocked at how late it was. Had he really slept for over twelve hours? _'Wouldn't be the first time,'_ He reminded himself, soon shaking the thought away. ''I think I'm going to face him like a man, Ollie. His stupid teeth don't scare me, and his height doesn't either. He's probably like.. Super weak, or something.'' He stammered near the end, knowing his words were awful lies.  
  
''Yeah, Yeah, I'm totally stronger than him,'' George said after a second, scooping up the last bit of food. ''He...'' George trailed off, trying to think of something to make fun of Dream for. ''He probably can't even drive,''

_'You can't drive either.'_

George grimaced, realising how stupid his words were. ''God, Ollie I'm so scared,'' He murmured as the cat ate the last little bit of food, licking the spoon clean.   
  
''He'd probably destroy me,'' He said softly. ''I'm literally talking to my cat, what is wrong with me,'' George said while throwing the spoon into the sink and the empty can in the trash, making his way back to his room.  
  
George looked into his full-length mirror, trying to puff himself up before deflating sadly. ''Why am I so frail? Oh my god,'' He said insecurely, his tone dripping with hurt. ''Maybe I should go to the gym,'' He pondered before shaking his head, ''No, too much work. I'll just be insecure,'' 

George walked up to his dresser, pulling out a shirt and pair of jeans. George thought about bringing a hoodie before brushing it off, assuming that it would heat up when he was going to leave. 

George stripped from his clothes, pulling the new ones on with little effort. George zipped the jeans up and tucked a little bit of the shirt into the jeans, doing a stylish spin in the mirror. ''That was so stupid,'' He frowned, pulling the tucked in part out. ''Note to self, don't do whatever that was,'' He murmured while walking up to his nightstand, grabbing his phone. George wanted to say he was shocked when a good morning text popped up, but he wasn't.

**Dream, 9:06AM**   
_'Sapnap told me you were coming to his house, was he lying to me?'_

**Gogy, 9:35AM**   
_'nooo, ill b going over there l8r (::'_

**Dream, 9:35AM**   
_'Cool (:'_

George sighed nervously, glancing at the clock again, watching thirty-five become thirty-six. ''I have a few hours to kill,'' He murmured, looking around his room. His eyes landed on his switch, an idea crossing his mind. He put his phone down on his bed and grabbed the device out of the dock, unlocking it while flopping onto his bed.  
  
George looked over some of the games he had, deciding on Animal Crossing in the end. 'My villagers probably miss me,' He thought as the game opened up, playing its signature music. _'I haven't talked to them in like, a week,'_

_'I'm a bad mayor,'_ He thought while the screen faded into his character walking out of the house, yawning and fixing his hair. His island was in shambles, to say the least. There were weeds everywhere, he didn't finish terraforming from last time, so there are just random mounds everywhere.   
  
''God, this is so bad,'' He whispered, turning the terraforming tool on and carving away the mounds. After he was done, he pulled out all the weeds he could find and then talked to his villagers, who were ecstatic to see him. 

After he did everything necessary, he turned the terraforming tool back on and started to make his island visually pleasing.  
-

George didn't realise three hours had passed till he checked his phone, a text from Sapnap catching his eye.

**SappyNappy, 12:45PM**   
_'u gonna start heading over?'_

Had he really been playing that long? He looked back at the switch, tracing over the beautifully decorated island. Yeah, he didn't doubt it.

**Gogy, 12:56PM**   
_'yep, ill see u in like 30 mins.'_

George saved his island and turned the switch off, standing up and placing it back into the dock station, watching a green charging symbol appear on the top. George searched the room for Ollie, wanting to say goodbye before putting his shoes on.   
  
George fully opened his door, peering his head into the hallway to see no sight of the cat. ''Ollie?'' He called out, walking into the hallway. He walked into the kitchen, eyebrows furrowing at the lack of his cat. _'Usually he's in there,'_ He thought while walking back up the hall, turning into his bathroom. He flicked the lights on and made eye contact with Ollie, who was sitting in the shower. ''Dude, what are you doing in here?'' He asked, confusion clouding his face. George leaned into the shower and scooped Ollie up, placing a kiss to his forehead. ''See you later,'' He murmured and placed Ollie down once he closed the bathroom door, making his way into his kitchen again. George slipped his shoes on and left the house with one last wave to Ollie.   
*

Once George was on the street, he regretted not bringing a hoodie. His hands had started to become numb from the cold, his fingertips turning a firm shade of red. He wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to keep himself warm, just for the walk; Usually, Sapnap has his heat on.

George was thankful he only lived a few minutes away from the other, or else this walk would be hell on earth. _'I'd probably die,'_ He thought dramatically, clenching his hand around his shoulder tightly. George made a turn, taking note of the busy street. Piles, upon piles of cars, were backed up at a broken light; The honking from irritated drivers becoming annoying.   
  
_'Honking doesn't help,'_ He added mentally, annoyance filling his veins as he turned again. George sped up at the sight of Sapnap's house, jumping up the stairs two at a time and knocking aggressively. ''Sap!'' He yelled, his fist faltering when he was met with a chest. _'What?'_

George looked up and was met with the smug face of Dream, any confidence he had built earlier wilting away. ''H...Hi,'' He stammered out, eyes wide and doe-like. ''Hey, Georgie,'' Dream said and stepped to the side, allowing George to go in. George looked at Dream while walking in the house, keeping an eye on him till he was fully in and wasn't right next to Dream, watching the door shut.   
  
''Where's Sap?'' George asked, choosing to ignore the way his voice shook. ''He went to the store, but he should be back... Like, any minute now.'' Dream said and on cue, the door slammed back open to reveal Sapnap with three bags.  
  
''Oh, hey George,'' Sapnap said, bumping into Dream while walking in. ''I got you some juice,'' Sapnap said, looking at George. ''Thank you,'' He said, glancing at Dream nervously. ''He doesn't bite,'' Sapnap said while walking away, causing George to tense more than he already was. _'What the hell, Sap?'_

Dream looked like he wanted to say something, but ended up keeping his mouth shut and raising his eyebrows at George. ''S...Shut up,'' He stammered, turning his back to Dream and walking into the living room, sitting on the couch. 

George was wrong, Sapnap's house was equally as cold. George took his shoes off and curled up on himself, trying to calm his shivering figure. He looked up from his knees, making eye contact with Dream. George wanted to smart mouth him desperately, but his words were stuck in his throat.  
  
Dream was intimidating, to say the very least.   
  
George looked towards the kitchen archway to see Sapnap, in all of his hellish glory, holding out a small bottle of juice. George unwrapped one of his arms from his knees, reaching out and grabbing the juice. Sapnap sat down on the other side of the couch, and Dream sat in the chair sext to Sapnap. ''Did you see the new Minecraft update?'' Sapnap asked Dream, who enthusiastically nodded. ''Yeah, I like the hoglins, they look cool.'' Dream said, and the two began to talk about Minecraft, which George didn't really play; So he stayed quiet and focused on his juice.  
-

An hour had passed, and Dream and Sapnap finally stopped talking about Minecraft. George didn't have any conversation starters though, all he could focus on was his numb hands. The sensation started to spread up his wrist, a small whimper leaving him as he rubbed his wrist gently, trying to soothe the pain. ''I'll be right back,'' Sapnap said and got up, his footsteps retreating upstairs, leaving George and Dream in silence; Or, leaving George's small noises of pain be heard.

Dream stared at George with furrowed eyebrows, but George was too focused on his freezing body to notice Dream's intense gaze. ''George?'' Dream said, causing George to look up with a miserable glint in his eyes. ''Y.. Yeah?'' He trembled out, watching how Dream's eyebrows furrowed. George moved back a bit as Dream stood up, taking off his hoodie.   
  
George raised an eyebrow before sputtering and shaking his head as Dream tried to hand the hoodie to him. ''What ar..are you doing?'' George murmured, his lips pursing tightly. ''George, you're shivering,'' Dream stated the obvious, but George couldn't help but roll his eyes. ''So? You're gonna freeze as well,'' George tried to reason. 

''I outweigh you by at least forty pounds, George, just take the hoodie.'' Dream said, his tone becoming harsh. George took the hoodie after that, grabbing it with shaking hands. He shuffled forward a little as he pulled the hoodie over his head, the fabric bunching up near the end. _'This is at least two sizes large than what I wear,'_ He thought, staring at the sleeves. ''Thank you,'' He murmured, making eye contact with Dream, who smiled sweetly.   
  
''No problem,'' He said, sitting back down and pulling his phone out. George tried to wrap his head around the situation, but the smell of black ice was distracting. George snuggled into the hoodie a bit more, taking a deep breath. The scent was comforting, it reminded him of home.

_'That's a weird thing to associate with your drug dealer, huh?'_ George thought while sliding down the couch a bit and wrapping his arms around his chest. _'I'm wearing his hoodie, he willingly gave me this,'_ His thoughts raced, a small smile on his features. George looked at Sapnap as he came into the living room, raising an eyebrow at George. He didn't say anything, he just relished in the warmth that covered him. The inside of the hoodie felt plush, like thousands of stuffed animals. ' _This is so comfortable,'_

George took another deep breath and closed his eyes, falling asleep to the sound of Dream and Sapnap whisper-yelling at each other over who got the be player one.  
  
  
-  
  
  


George woke up to someone shaking his shoulder, his hands raising as his eyes opened. ''C'mon, get up,'' Sapnap said, reaching his hands under George's waist and picking him up an inch before George shook himself off and fell back down, glaring at Sapnap. ''What the hell,'' George muttered, rubbing his eyes. ''It's almost six, I can't have you sleep over another night,'' Sapnap said, his tone apologetic. ''I'll call you a cab, okay?'' George just nodded in return, barely hearing what Sapnap said. 

The smell of black ice wrapped around his head again, his thoughts flooding back to Dream. George looked around the living room, his eyebrows furrowing at the lack of the tall man. ''Sap, where's Dream?'' He called out, pulling his shoes towards him. ''He left an hour ago, dude,'' Sapnap replied. George stopped what he was doing, raising his head. _'He left?'_

George quickly grabbed his phone on the table next to him, opening Dream's contact. 

**Gogy, 5:48PM**   
_'hey i still have ur hoodie ):: do u want it back?'_

**Dream, 5:48PM**   
_'You can keep it for now, I have plenty of others. Don't worry.'_

**Gogy, 5:48PM**   
_'r u sure?'_

**Dream, 5:48PM**   
_'As sure as I can be, cutie.'_

George swallowed the wad of spit that collected in his throat, shaking his head. _'Dream was just doing the right thing, you're not special,'_ He reminded himself and continued putting his shoes on. ''God...'' He muttered, tying his shoes lazily. George stood up once he was done, eyes widening as the hoodie fell to his mid-thigh and then bunched up. George felt really small. Warmth travelled through his body and landed in his abdomen uncomfortably. _'Oh my god, stop.'_

George forced his brain to shut up and grabbed his phone, sliding it into the pocket of the hoodie. He passed Sapnap, giving a short wave to him as he opened the door. ''I'll see you later,'' George said, closing the door without waiting for Sapnap's response.  
  
George hopped down the stairs and towards the cab. George swung the door open and sat down, telling the driver his address.   
  
During the short drive, George pulled out ten dollars from his pocket and handed it to the driver once the car stopped. ''Thank you,'' He said before closing the door, quickly bouncing up the stairs and pushing open the door. George ignored his mail for the third time this week, waiting for the elevator while shuffling his feet happily. He felt truly happy for the first time in a long time.

*

George entered the elevator and quickly pressed the third-floor button, bopping his head to the music. He felt good.

George quickly left the elevator, pulling his keys out while walking down the hall. George was met with the familiar wreathe, pushing the key into the doorknob gently and turning it. Ollie was waiting behind the door as always, but his ears perked at the new apparel that George dawned. George shut the door behind himself, huffing as Ollie stretched up George's leg to sniff at the hoodie. _'I gotta call hannah,'_

George shoved his shoes off, and quickly made his way to his room, flopping onto his bed happily. George quickly opened Hannah's contact, wasting no time FaceTiming her.

It twice before she picked up, she was smiling like last time, but her hair now had purple streaks. ''Hi, gogy!'' She said, waving at the camera. George waved back, ''Hi Hannah! I love the hair,'' He said. ''Thank you, my friend did it for me.''

''I have something cool to tell you,'' He said, rolling onto his stomach. ''Spill,'' 

''So, I met this guy, his name is Dream; Which is a crazy name, right?'' Hannah nodded. ''Okay well, he's a friend of SapNap's and, we met, and now I'm wearing his hoodie!'' He exclaimed, his face heating up. ''O-M-G, really?'' She asked, eyes wide. ''Yes! Look,'' George said, showing off the hoodie. ''Dude, he must be so tall,'' Hannah said, seeing how large the hoodie was. ''He is really tall, it's kind of scary,'' George admitted, a shiver running down his spine. ''That's all, I just wanted to tell you that,'' George said, studying Hannah. ''Well, I'm happy for you Gogy! I'll see you next week?''

George nodded, ''Yep!''

The two shared their goodbyes, and George let a happy giggle once the dial tone played. George stared at the ceiling, playing with the sleeves of the hoodie with a smile on his face.

_He was so happy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i speedran this update, it is one of the largest chapters of the book so far at a staggering 3,231 words and it is also one of my favourite chapters so far!  
> i really hope you guys enjoy (: 
> 
> (not edited, please ignore any typos/missed italics/etc.)
> 
> fun fact #1; georges depression is based off of mine! which is why he sleeps so much and is constantly tired no matter how much sleep he gets. i thought that was cool (:  
> fun fact #2; all of the temperatures in this book are in celsius !  
> i think im just gonna start adding fun facts to the end of every chapter honestly
> 
> **important information regarding BLM;**  
>  _as a trans person myself, i want my sisters, brothers and siblings to be protected. black trans lives have a doubled suicide rate, homelessness rate and deal with denial of health care, so it would mean a lot for you to sign this, and similar petitions;_  
>  https://www.change.org/p/human-rights-campaign-protect-black-trans-women?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_19092802_en-US%3Av10&recruiter=1167833704&recruited_by_id=c77189f0-3917-11eb-bdd2-a9c6d07015df&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_abi&utm_term=psf_combo_share_abi
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	7. Vanilla Curls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dream is a smug bitch and george is a horny simp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **content warning for sexual themes/implied sexual content**
> 
> you can skip this chapter, if you wish. it isn't important to the storyline, i just thought it was a cute idea (:

Two days had passed since Dream gave George his hoodie, and George hadn't taken it off. Sure, it might've been obsessive, but it made George feel safe. Safe wasn't something George would've thought his drug dealers hoodie would've made him feel, but it did regardless. 

Dream had typically only sent him good morning texts; He had never texted George past two PM. So, he was a little shocked to receive a text at ten PM. 

_'What?'_

George clicked the message, trying to ignore his growing smile at the fact that Dream went out of his way to text George. 

**Dream, 10:05PM**  
_'Sapnap told me you had a cat, do you?'_

**Gogy, 10:06PM**  
_'yes! i do, his name is ollie (::'_

**Dream, 10:06PM**  
_'Aww, that's cute. I have one too, her name is Patches, do you wanna see her?'_

**Gogy, 10:06PM**  
_'yes, pls!'_

George didn't paint Dream to be a cat person, but he waited for an image to pop up. ''I wonder if Patche's would get along with you,'' He said, looking towards Ollie. Ollie meowed in response and put his head back down on his paws. George lingered on Ollie until his phone buzzed, his eyes lighting up with excitement. 

_**'Dream has sent a picture!'** _

George clicked on the notification, eyes widening like saucers at the picture. It was a cat, yeah, there was definitely a cat there; But there was a large hand covering most of the cat's body. George felt his soul leave his body, his eyes trailing over the long fingers and their curves. George sat up, back flush with the backboard of his bed as he bit his lip. George tugged at the lower half of the hoodie gently, moving it over his thighs to hide the shame that was in the back of his mind. 

George made an attempt to text back, but his fingers faltered as he looked at the hand again. A voice in the back of his mind screaming with want. A want to feel it on his throat- _'Wait, what?'_ George's featured scrunched up, and he forced his mind to shut up so he could reply.

**Gogy, 10:08PM**  
_'shes super cute!!'_

George didn't really get a good look, to be honest. He was mostly focusing on the, very distracting, hand. 

**Dream, 10:08PM**  
_'Sorry about the hand btw, she never stays still lol.'_

**Gogy, 10:08PM**  
_'its ok !!'_

George inhaled sharply, and opened his camera, aiming the camera at Ollie. George took a picture before shaking his head and putting his hand in the frame, snapping another picture. George sent the new one to Dream, ignoring the growing embarrassment. 

**Dream, 10:10PM**  
_'Aw, he's so cute!'_  
**Dream, 10:10PM**  
_'Your hands are small lol'_

George felt his face become flush, a shameful smile crossing his features. He should not be finding this interaction arousing. _'What is my problem?'_

**Gogy, 10:11PM**  
_'no they're not )::'_

**Dream, 10:11PM**  
_'Yes, they are, just look at them! I bet I could fit your whole fist in one of my hands lmfao.'_

The image of it appeared in George's head, his already flushed face becoming warmer. George could practically feel Dream's hand on his own, a small noise came from the back of his throat, surprising even himself. _'I should not be finding this hot,_ ' He thought, but his arousal overthrew his shame in the current moment.

**Gogy, 10:12PM**  
_'ur hands arent that big ): <'_

George knew that was a lie, but he felt like being stubborn. 

**Dream, 10:14PM**  
_'Sure they are, look.'_

Dream sent another picture. George felt his breath get stuck in his throat, his heart beating aggressively. Dream was holding a mug, his fingers wrapped around the top and ended a few centimetres from the bottom end. His fingers covered most of the design, with some yellow, green? peaking out from opened slots. Yeah, his hands were really big.

**Gogy, 10:16PM**  
_'huh, okay wow.'_

**Dream, 10:16PM**  
_'See? Ugh, you're so stubborn.'_

**Gogy, 10:16PM**  
_'no im not ):'_

**Dream, 10:16PM**  
_'Yes you are George, don't play dumb._

**Gogy, 10:17PM**  
_'im not, ur the dumb one.'_

**Dream, 10:17PM**  
_'No, I'm not, you're just being a brat, who's afraid to admit defeat lmfao.'_

**Gogy, 10:17PM**  
_'okay, fine.'_

**Dream, 10:17PM**  
_'Good boy (:'_

George sucked in another sharp breath, a jab of warmth relentlessly filling George's abdomen. A small, barely audible, noise left George as he reread the text with wide eyes. Dream was such an asshole, he had just met George a week ago, yet he somehow knew his weakest points. George pushed himself off his bed, choosing to ignore the warmth his lower half had. 

George started to walk to his bathroom, typing back a short, clipped response.

**Gogy, 10:19PM**  
_'why r u like this.'_

**Dream, 10:19PM**  
_'Like what?'_

**Gogy, 10:19PM**  
_'like this.'_

**Dream, 10:19PM**  
_'Use your words.'_

**Gogy, 10:19**  
_'why are you just stupid ): <'_

**Dream, 10:19PM**  
_'We just discussed this, George.'_

**Gogy, 10:19PM**  
_'): < im going to bed. ur stupid'_

**Dream, 10:19PM**  
_'Goodnight (:'_

George shut his phone off with a small inhale, turning into his bathroom. He made sure he had a towel before turning the shower on to the coldest setting possible. George stripped, making sure to neatly fold Dream's hoodie and put it on the counter, and then stepped into the shower. He let out a small yelp at the cold water, but he sat down and let the water run over him.

He stayed there until the warmth had left his abdomen. 

''God, I am so gross.''

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good evening !! (:: the hand kink tag is finally morphing into its true form, huh? also, a largely text based chapter, hope that doesn't bother anyone !!  
> random thing, but my friend bought me huniepop last night and i already have 4.5 hours on record- and, as im writing this, its making it difficult to write the chapter since i wanna play-
> 
> fun fact #3; i came up with the idea for this book at 4am after stuffing my face with a bagel and chugging a can of monster and then i wrote half of the storyline and the first chapter within two hours of thinking abt it (:  
> fun fact #4; hannah is based off of one of my old friends! i made them have very similar personalities/appearances (::
> 
>  **important info regarding BLM;**  
>  https://www.change.org/p/free-siyanda?recruiter=934893657&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_abi&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=a7ab3ed0-2af6-11e9-970b-8f583ccec35d
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	8. Looking Out for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dream finally stops being a smug asshole, but only for like 2.3 seconds, because he makes sure george is ok and comfortable (:
> 
> and george picks up hannah from the train station, thats abt it.

Soft brown eyes stared tiredly at the phone, the light nearly blinding in the dark room. George didn't sleep well, an hour at most, after last night. His sleep schedule was horrendous; It was on a completely different reality compared to George. 

He probably wouldn't be sleeping much this week.

George had debated texting Dream since three AM, and while there was a possibility of it being a good idea, George pushed away from the idea and decided to scroll through his gallery. Dozens of pictures, and videos he had warmed his heart, some brought a smile to his face, others made him chuckle. But, when George made eye contact with a much younger Hannah hugging him, all happiness drew from him. 

George remembered taking that photo a few days before their dad left; The original picture was a polaroid, but George decided to digitalise it recently, for whatever reason. Regardless, George couldn't help but feel sombre while looking at it, focusing on Hannah's smile. Her smile back then was brighter. Had she lost her shine without him noticing? The thought made George bite his lip anxiously.

_'Maybe she has, I was just too absent to notice.'_

George inhaled shakily and closed his eyes, swiping away from the photo, trying to keep a positive mindset. He was picking her up today; He shouldn't be thinking negatively about her. 

George's eyes shot open as his phone buzzed in his hand, eyeing a notification from Dream. On top of feeling tired, George also felt guilty. Again, not because he didn't enjoy it, he just enjoyed it too much. Dream was his dealer, he shouldn't be like this around him; Constantly weak-kneed, out of breath, and on the crisp of becoming charred due to his rising temperature. George felt gross, to say the least. 

Regardless, he clicked the notification, a small smile on his features at the message. 

**Dream, 9:23AM**   
_'Good morning, George (:'_

**Gogy, 9:23AM**   
_'morning'_

**Dream, 9:23AM**   
_'You ok?'_   
**Dream, 9:23AM**   
_'Did I go too far last night?'_

George was stunned for a moment, rereading the text a few times. 

Has anyone ever asked him that? He tried to think of the last time someone asked him that, coming up with no memorable times. George grimaced at the lack of memory, a frown crossing his features. 

**Gogy, 9:24AM**   
_'what? no ofc not'_

**Dream, 9:24AM**   
_'Are you sure? You can tell me, you know.'_

**Gogy, 9:24AM**   
_'ofc i'm sure'_

George snuggled farther into the hoodie, his previously tense shoulders softening up. _'Does he really care about me?'_ George couldn't help but think, realising that he hadn't viewed Dream as someone who truly cared for him; He tried to convince himself that he had, but his thoughts always drew back to Dream using him for money. 

Deep down, the most vulnerable side of George couldn't help but scream that Dream was being greedy. It was pretty obvious just from the few interactions the two had that Dream was superior compared to George. 

**Dream, 9:26AM**   
_'I'll take your word for it, but if it ever gets too much, you can tell me.'_

**Gogy, 9:26AM**   
_'i will, i promise (::'_

**Dream, 9:26AM**   
_'Off topic, but what are you doing today?'_

**Gogy, 9:27AM**   
_'picking my sister up l8r at like,, 12'_

**Dream, 9:26AM**   
_'Oh cool, I didn't know you had a sister. I also have a sister.'_

**Gogy, 9:26AM**   
_'cool !! maybe they can meet each other one day (::'_

**Dream, 9:26AM**   
_'That would be cool, how long is your sister staying?'_

**Gogy, 9:26AM**   
_'only a few days, mum is strict'_

Strict was an understatement, but it's better than saying he had mommy issues.

**Dream, 9:26AM**   
_'Maybe they can meet up next visit?'_

**Gogy, 9:26AM**   
_'maybe !! ill talk 2 her abt it (:'_

**Dream, 9:26AM**   
_'Alrighty, just let me know.'  
  
_

George didn't respond after that, he shut his phone off and stared idly at his stagnant fingers. His mind drifted off, trying to think of the possibilities of Dream actually caring for him. 

_'I don't think he would've asked that if he didn't care about me,'_

_'But he's only known me for a week.'_

George was on the fence about the whole situation, his thoughts felt cloudy and disorganised. He wanted to believe Dream cared for him, truly he did, but his judgement was in shambles. Maybe George was making the feelings up; Dream could easily consider him an easy fuck. It was clear that George was easily pliable.

George grimaced for the umpteenth time, shaking his head softly. _'Stop,'_

With that, he pushed himself up and to his feet. A small sigh left him as he rubbed his face, attempting to jog the tiredness out of him. George pulled his hands from his face and looked towards his door to see Ollie sitting there. ''I'm surprised you haven't figured out how to open the door yet,'' George said, watching as Ollie's ears twitched. George sighed and opened the door, Ollie darting out. 

George walked behind Ollie, following the grey tabby into the kitchen. Ollie jumped onto the counter as George opened the cabinet, too tired to bother asking for Ollie's specified flavour. (Since he doesn't care,)

''Hannah's coming over today, are you gonna be nice?'' He asked the cat, raising an eyebrow. Ollie meowed, probably because George cracked the can open, but George took it as a good enough response. ''Y'know, I can't keep spoon-feeding you, I don't have the energy to wash the spoons,'' George murmured as he opened the utensil's drawer. 

''I should probably wash them before I pick up Hannah, huh?'' He said while scooping up some food, holding it out to Ollie, who ate it happily. ''Or I can just do them later,'' He sighed, unsure of whether or not he'll have enough energy to do anything once he picked up Hannah. ''Yeah, later is alright...'' He trailed off, scooping up more food. George looked around the kitchen while Ollie ate, eyeing his water bowl that was empty. He mentally noted to fill it up once Ollie was finished eating. While scooping up more food, George looked at the hoodie. _'Should I change?'_

He didn't have the energy.

Scooping up the last little bit of food, George threw the can out and put the spoon down, letting Ollie eat for himself. George grabbed the water bowl and turned the sink on, making sure the water was cold before filling the bowl up. He placed the bowl back down, running his fingers down Ollie's spine gently as he passed. George then picked the spoon up once it was licked clean, putting it in the sink with the other unwashed utensils.

George checked his pockets before putting his shoes on, confirming he had his keys and his wallet. ''Be good,'' He said towards Ollie while slipping his shoes on. ''Bye,'' He murmured as he shut the door, locking it behind himself.   
-  
The air nipped at his nose, a bright flush appearing on his face as he waited for Hannah. _'Her train should be here any minute,'_ He thought, eyeing the tracks. He had only been here ten minutes, but the cold was nearly unbearable. If it wasn't for Dream's hoodie, he would probably become an ice pop. 

George jumped as the train horn blared, watching as it came to a slow stop. George walked to the side of the train, patiently waiting for his sister. 

''George!'' He heard the familiar voice shriek, his head snapping to see Hannah running at him full speed. ''Oh, shi-'' George had the wind knocked out of him as Hannah hugged him, gripping onto him. He hugged back after a moment, melting into the hug. ''Hey,'' He murmured, pulling back. ''Wait a minute,'' He said under his breath, looking at the top of Hannah's head. 

''Are you taller than me?'' George sputtered, jaw dropping in disbelief.

''Last time I checked I was five-ten, so, yes,'' Hannah said with a shit-eating grin. ''I can't believe it, are you kidding me?'' George looked down to make sure she wasn't wearing heels, only to be met with sneakers. ''Oh my god,'' George chuckled, eyes widening. ''Hey, at least you're tall enough to kick Sapnap now.'' He said, watching as Hannah smiled. ''Yes! I can't wait,'' She beamed, running her gloved hands together. 

''C'mon, let's get back to the house. Tell me how your train was, anyone, cause trouble?'' He asked, mostly joking, but also kinda concerned. 

''Well, there was this cute guy, but I don't think he's an issue.''

''Excuse me, he totally is,'' George scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully. 

''Well, there was also this old lady, she kept hitting people in the leg with her cane; It was pretty funny.'' Hannah giggled and continued telling him about the train ride.

George just listened with a smile, only speaking when necessary, as his exhaustion grew. He was fine, though, _right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay new chapter (::!! big possibility for a drista cameo?? :o and the depression tag is finally going into full swing (::<
> 
> i thought the first part was important, because i realise that ive kind of thrown some inherently sexual stuff with no verbal consent from george. of course, we know that he's okay with it, but dream doesn't. this is a little bit of a step forward in their relationship, i guess? on the more sexual side of everything. remember; consent is extremely important! make sure to write your characters consenting when it comes to stuff like that. 
> 
> fun fact #5; this book is the longest running project i've ever had since i started writing! typically i end up deleting the works or never working on them again due to lack of support. but all the support on this book has made me extremely inspired and motivated to bring new content! it's so nice to see returning faces (you know who you are(::)
> 
> fun fact #6; georges sleep schedule is also heavily based on mine! due to my depression, i can go from sleeping up to 14 hours at a time to only sleeping an hour. thats pretty cool! kind of-
> 
> **important info regarding BLM;**  
>  https://www.change.org/p/ted-cruz-justice-for-gloria-bambo?recruiter=false&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=abcbd990-d061-11ea-9ac6-a151fd969019
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	9. Your New Boyfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> george and hannah laugh and do shit and then....... angst (:<

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **trigger warning for emotional/verbal/psychological abuse and implied starvation, but like not on purpose?**
> 
> stay safe!

George looked over gameboard, counting out the spaces in his head. His blue mouse, which he decided to name Blue (Creative, right?), sitting stagnant on a trap space. He placed the cheese down on the catapult, pulling back the boot to kick the stop sign. The stop sign triggered itself, causing the boot to kick the bucket. The silver marble rolled down in a zigzag, zipping through the tunnels and into the bathtub, finally landing on the catapult and flinging the cheese into the bucket. 

The trap triggered, causing it to fall onto the yellow figure and successfully capturing it.

''Yes!'' George said in triumph, his smile beaming as he pumped his fist into the air. Hannah groaned with exasperation, rolling her eyes at her brother's victory. ''You're so annoying,'' She said, chuckling a little. ''I think I'm done playing, for now, I'm kinda hungry; What's for dinner?'' She asked, looking George over.

''Uhm... I don't really know, I don't normally eat dinner.''

_When was the last time he ate a proper meal?_

''Can we order something? I'm craving fries,'' She murmured, picking under her nails. ''Yeah, just fries?'' He asked, already knowing a place to order from. Hannah hummed in confirmation, nodding her head softly. ''Okay, I'll be right back.'' He said, pushing himself up. ''Clean up for me,'' He added while walking away and pulling his phone out. 

George thought for a moment, wondering if he should order anything. _'Eh,'_ He pushed it off, shaking his head while dialling the number and waiting for it to pick-up. 

_''Hello, you've reached Crimson Bar And Grill! How are you?''_

_''I'm good, thanks for asking. I'd like to place an order for delivery, please.''_

_''Alright, and what will that be?''_

_''Just an order of your house fries, I'll be paying in cash.''_

_''Okay! And what's the address?''_

_''3657 Hartland Avenue, door 29B on the third floor.''_

_''Okay, that'll be over in a little while.''_

''Thank you,'' He said before ending the call, rubbing his stomach. He knew he was hungry, but he didn't have the means to eat, it felt like his stomach was in a knot. George was barely able to play a board game; He wasn't entirely sure how he was even standing up currently. He felt shaky.

''Your fries will be here soon,'' He called out to Hannah, flexing his hand and looking at it. ''Thank you!'' She replied, walking into the kitchen and glancing down at George. ''You okay?'' She asked, concern lacing her tone at her brother's ghostly appearance. ''Yeah, yeah, I'm just tired,'' He said, waving his hands and glancing up. ''I only slept an hour last night,'' He added, trying not to grimace at his sister's frown. 

''You need to start taking care of yourself, George,'' She said, placing her forehead on his shoulder. ''I promise I will, It's just a hiccup,'' He chuckled and tried to ignore the overlooking worry he felt. ''I'll take your word for it,'' She muttered and lifted her head up. ''I love you,'' She said before leaving the kitchen.

''I love you too,'' He murmured, gazing at her as she left. _'I take care of myself,'_ He thought, his brows furrowing. 

_'Taking care of yourself includes eating though; Doesn't it? And cleaning up after yourself, and showering...'_

George shook his head quickly and straightened himself out before going into the living room, glancing towards the couch to see Ollie on Hannah's lap. ''Aw, I guess he does like you,'' He said, reaching down to pet Ollie. ''Pshh, yeah, he loves me more than you,'' She retorted with a laugh. George's face contorted into fake offence, his hand landing on his chest harshly. ''How dare you to assume such things, you heathen,'' George rolled his eyes and sat on the couch. 

''Did you pick a movie out yet?'' He asked, raising an eyebrow. ''No, Netflix kind of sucks this month,'' She said under her breath, still scrolling through hundreds of movies. ''You're only like two pages in, Hannah,'' He laughed, making grabby hands for the remote. ''Here, I have an idea, gimme.'' 

Hannah handed him the remote, watching the screen intently as he started typing in the search bar.

''You're kidding me, _Treasure Planet_?'' She snickered, trying to grab the remote back. ''Nope! We're watching it, get comfy.'' He said, so sure in his movie choice. Hannah rolled her eyes and sat back, rubbing her hand down Ollie's side. ''I can't believe you're making me watch this again,'' She said in disbelief. ''Be quiet, you love it,'' He said with a smile. ''No, no I don't,'' She rolled her eyes again and looked at the TV, eyes scanning over the screen as scenes changed.

The siblings jumped as the doorbell rang, George darted up, and speed-walked to the door.

George opened the door to reveal a blonde wearing a black shirt with a shit-brown vest; It was probably red though, George wasn't sure how many restaurants would make their employees wear such a colour. George reached over and grabbed the ten dollars, handing it the woman in exchange for the bag. 

''Thank you,'' He said after receiving the bag. ''Have a good day, Sir.'' The woman said and walked away, obviously tired of her job. 

George shut the door after a moment, walking back into the living room and handing the bag to Hannah. ''Oh, thank you,'' She murmured, not taking her eyes off the screen. ''You didn't order anything?'' She asked after looking in the bag. ''No, I wasn't hungry,'' George said with honesty, not missing the worry in Hannah's eyes. ''You can have some of my fries if you want?'' She said, holding the container out to George. George just lifted his hands and pushed the box towards her while shaking his head. 

''I promise I'm good,'' He said, ''Just enjoy your food.'' 

''Alrighty...'' Hannah trailed off with uncertainty before starting to eat her fries, adverting her attention back to the TV. George did the same, quietly watching for a few minutes before his phone rang. ''God, people don't know how to leave me alone, do they?'' He asked while getting up, seeing the contact was Sapnap. ''Oh, huh,'' He said under his breath before walking away and answering. 

_''Yes?''_

_''You picked up Hannah today, right?''_

_''Yeah, why?''_

_''Well, Sophie is in town, and she wanted to ask if Hannah wanted to meet up.''_

_''I'll ask Hannah about it, but there shouldn't be an issue.''_

_''Okay, cool! Talk to ya later.''_

''Bye,'' He said, ending the call. ''Hannah?'' He asked as he walked into the living room, leaning on the door frame. ''Yeah?'' She replied, not taking her gaze off the TV. ''Sophie wanted to know if you wanted to hang out,''

Hannah snapped her head back to look at George, ''Yes! Yes, I would love that,'' She said with a smile. ''I figured, you haven't seen her in ages,'' He said while opening Sapnap's contact. 

**Gogy, 8:45PM**   
_'hannah wants to see sophie, should i drop her off at the park @ like,, 10?'_

**SappyNappy, 8:45PM**   
_'yeah, sophie said that was ok. do u wanna come over tomorrow while they're out?'_

**Gogy, 8:45PM**   
_'yeah, sure'_

**SappyNappy, 8:45PM**   
_'okay cool, see u 2morrow bro'_

''I'm gonna be dropping you off at the park tomorrow at ten, I'll be at Sapnap's house while you guys hang out. Do you have money?'' He asked, looking at her. ''I have like, thirty dollars,'' She said, glancing at him. ''Okay, I'll give you an extra ten just in case,'' He murmured and looked at the TV. 

The two fell into silence, watching the movie.

-

Once the movie was finished, Hannah was passed out, most likely tired from her train ride this morning. George got up from the couch carefully, making sure to not wake her up. He left Ollie to sleep with her and walked to his room, closing the door behind himself quietly. 

George couldn't sleep, no matter how hard he tried. His eyes were constantly opening and scanning the room, or just staring blankly. His thoughts were vague, little to no traffic going through his head like typically. His hand's felt numb.

He felt transparent, vaguely aware of his body parts, each and every one of them except for his hands. _Where were his hands?_

George was knocked out of his blank state by the sound of his voice ringing, a sigh leaving him as his hand's regained their being. ''What the hell...'' He rubbed his face before picking his phone up, body stiffening at his mother's contact name. ''Oh come on,''

George thought about not answering, but in the end, picked the phone up and answered it. ''Hello?'' 

''Where the fuck is Hannah,'' His mother's voice grumbled, resonating in his chest. ''She's with me, we told you this,'' He said, trying to calm himself down. A hiccup was heard from the other end, ''I don't remember that,'' She slurred, obviously drunk. ''You're probably just going to leave her again,'' She sneered, letting out a cackling laugh. ''She loves me more than you,'' He retorted, digging his fingers into his clothed thigh. 

''Oh, really?'' She said, her tone dropping. ''So, you're saying, the night's she spent crying in my arms because you left mean nothing to her?'' 

George felt his chest constrict, pulling in a laboured breath. ''What?'' He murmured, ignoring how shaky his breath was. 

''You're so fucking neglectful,'' She sneered again, hiccuping into the phone. ''You're a _disgrace_ , you're just like your father,'' She hissed. George tried to wipe the tears that formed in his eyes, but ended up failing, and letting them fall freely. ''I wish that you loved me,'' He muttered through clenched teeth. ''I tried so hard to get your attention, your praise and your love, but it was never enough for you. Why was I never enough for you?''

_Silence._

''So, it's just me, huh? It's all my fault,'' He sighed, trying not to let a cry out from his restricted breath. ''I always thought your words were full of shit, and that there was some love for me, but I guess I was wrong. It's alright,'' He said with a sob, pulling the phone away from his face and ending the call. 

George felt his hands go numb again as he sobbed into his arms, on the verge of passing out from lack of oxygen. ''God,'' He muttered in between sobs, taking in a heaving breath; It still wasn't enough.

George coughed, trying to wipe away the snot and tear trails that were falling down his face. Anything to make himself appear normal.

_But he wasn't normal, was he?_

''If I wasn't here, this wouldn't be happening,'' He cried, his chest and lungs beginning to burn. ''Fuck, I hate it here,'' He sobbed, gripping his hair tightly. It was an attempt to ground himself, but he still felt shattered. ''Why is this happening to me,'' He whispered in between sobs, wiping his eyes aggressively. 

Suddenly, his ring tone went off. 

Who the hell was calling him right now? The thought of it being his mum again caused him to stay still, trying to regain feeling in his hands and body. After a few moments of his phone ringing, it stopped and went off again. George lifted his heavy arm and brought the phone up to his face, blood running cold at Dream's contact. _'He's never called me,'_

_'Bad timing,'_

_'If he's ringing twice, it must be important,'_

George quickly centred himself, taking in multiple shaky and heaving breaths before answering. ''Y..Yeah?'' He murmured, hiccuping on accident. _Fuck._

''Hey, Ge-... Are you okay?'' 

George closed his eyes, taking a quiet breath. ''Yeah, w..why?'' He said, trying to make his voice sound steady but utterly failing. He didn't want to cry in front of Dream.

''...Are you sure?''

George felt the tears well up, soon falling out as he let a soft sob out, shaking his head. ''N...No,'' He cried, his breathing becoming erratic.

''Hey, Hey, calm down. Deep breathe for me, okay?''

George listened, taking a shaky breath in. He then let a shaky one out and continued that for a few moments. 

''Can you tell me what happened?'' Dream asked softly, tone concerned.

It took George a few seconds to respond, his chest aching as he shook himself. ''My mum is just an asshole,'' He murmured shakily, ''And she doesn't love me.'' _Well, there goes the secret mommy issues._

''Do you still have my hoodie on?'' 

''Yeah,''

''Can you lay down, if you aren't already, and snuggle into that for me?'' 

It was a simple request, straight the point; So, George pushed himself down with shaking limbs and snuggled into his blankets and the hoodie. "Okay,'' He murmured. 

''Can you imagine me running my hand through your hair?'' Dream's voice was silky, wrapping around George's head with all of its calming efforts. George closed his eyes though and imagined it, his breathing beginning to calm down fully as he thought about it. ''Yes,''

''Imagine if I was hugging you right now, saying all of this directly to you.'' 

The thought made pinpricks of tears well in his eyes, taking in a shuddering breath before thinking about it. The thought itself was warm. ''Okay...'' He trailed off, almost fully calmed down. ''Okay? Now, keep thinking about that until you're calm enough, okay Georgie?'' 

George hummed, silence drawing through the call as George imagined the pair laying down together. It was silent for a few minutes before George finally spoke. ''Thank you,''

''You're welcome, are you okay now?''

''Yeah,'' _That was a lie._

''Go get some sleep, okay? Goodnight, Georgie. You can call if you need me.''

''Okay...''

The dial tone rang through the room, and George stared at the wall quietly with numb hands till the sun came up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning! well, it's probably evening when i'm posting the chapter but whatever- either way, this is another one of my fave chapters (:<<  
> alsoooooo, sapnap sister moment? everyone in the dt has sisters, i just had 2.  
> Hannah is 16, Sophie is 17 and (soon to be) Drista is 15  
> angst tag is coming into full swing though, huh?
> 
> fun fact #7; when im writing about the place they live in, i think of new york city for whatever reason- like, a mix of nyc and a podunk town if that makes any sense at all. (:  
> fun fact #8; george's dissociation is based off of mine !! if you haven't caught on, a lot of georges issues are projections of myself. which is why his hands go numb when he dissociates (can be seen vaguely in this chapter and will be a big part in later chapters) 
> 
> **a little bit of a notice, it's not entirely important i guess but i think it's good to be open; after next week, i wont be taking my adhd medication every day like i have been due to the state im moving to being strict as fuck about controlled substances (you get 35 points if you can guess which state it is). this means i might not be pushing out chapters every day until i am back on it regularly. hopefully i will be getting my monthly prescription back so i can continue to take it daily, but anything is possible.**
> 
> **important info regarding BLM;**
> 
> **ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;**  
>  https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> **HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;**  
>  https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> **MATTHEW RUSHIN;**  
>  https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	10. Best Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sophie and hannah meet up (: plus angst aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **trigger warning; heavy depictions of dissociation in the start of the chapter!!**
> 
> stay safe!

During George's blank state, he somehow managed to get to the bathroom. George wasn't sure what time it was, he didn't feel right, or in his body. The world around him was blurry; Barely discernible.

_Was he even alive right now? Was the whole call with Dream a figment of his imagination? Had he killed himself...?  
  
_

George didn't react when the door slammed open; He just looked up to see a blurry silhouette. ''George, what are you doing?''

_Who is that?  
  
_

''George, get out, I need to pee,'' The detached voice said. George pushed himself to his knees and crawled out of the bathroom, laying on the hallway floor as the silhouette closed the door. George curled up on himself, wrapping his arms around himself. _His hands were still gone.  
  
_

The door opened again, revealing the same blurry silhouette. ''George?''  
  


George didn't reply; It felt like his voicebox was gone. ''George..?'' The voice sounded concerned, beginning to sound familiar. _Hannah?_ ''Hey, are you okay? Talk to me,'' The voice sounded shaky, on the verge of tears even. _Hannah?_ George focused on the figure enough for the blur to leave for a second, revealing his sister. _Oh, Hannah_. She looked sad, was she okay?

''Hannah?'' _Was that him speaking?_  
''George? What happened- Why are you on the floor?'' The figure, Hannah, put her hand on his shoulder. George felt a sharp buzz, jerking his shoulder out of her touch.

''George, please speak to me,'' She pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. 

''Do you actually love me?'' He murmured, his voice slowly becoming recognisable to himself. _'Soft blow, huh?'_ He couldn't help but think while slowly regaining feeling to his body, and more importantly, his hands. _'Shit, I have hands?'  
_  


''What do you mean? Of course, I do,'' Hannah stammered, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. ''Mum called me last night,'' He started, noticing how Hannah tensed up. ''And she said that you're bitter... Because I left,'' George finally said, grimacing. It went quiet for a moment, George felt his shoulders droop. ''I used to be, yeah, but I'm not anymore,'' She said, making eye contact with George. George wasn't entirely convinced though, he felt cheated out of something. ''Are you lying?''

''No, I promise,'' Hannah said, tears welling in her eyes. ''I promise, George, I love you.'' She murmured while getting on the floor, wrapping her arm around George in an attempt to hug him. George didn't pull away; He leaned into the hug and sniffled into Hannah's shoulder, wiping away any excess tears while Hannah rubbed circles into his back. 

''I'm sorry,'' George said after a moment, once his voice stopped shaking and no stray tears left his eyes. ''It's okay, Gogy, I love you,'' She murmured, hugging him tighter. 

The two stayed like that for a while, in each other's embrace. It was quiet aside from George's occasional sniffle. ''Are you still okay to walk me to the park?'' Hannah muttered, pulling her head back to look at George. 

''I have to go to Sapnap's, so yeah...'' He muttered tiredly, reminded of his lack of sleep yet again, _'How long has it been? 30 hours?'_ He was exhausted. ''You know Sapnap won't mind if you cancel, George,'' Hannah replied, unlooping her arm from George's. ''Yeah, I know,'' He yawned and pushed himself up, taking Hannah's outstretched arm to get to his feet. ''I gotta feed Ollie before we can go,'' He said, already making his way into the kitchen to see Ollie on the counter, like usual.

George opened the cabinet, not bothering to look at the flavours and just chose one. He lazily grabbed a spoon, cracking open the can with his free hand. ''I don't really feel like talking today, buddy, sorry,'' George murmured while feeding Ollie; Ollie didn't care obviously. He just ate his food. 

George threw the can out once it was empty, putting the spoon in the sink along with the others. _'I really need to do those, the sink is starting to smell like cat food...'_

''Hannah? Are you ready?'' George called out while walking back to his room, grabbing his phone and keys. George stared at his dresser, debating whether he should change or not, but his exhaustion overweighed his self-care needs. He didn't want to take off Dream's hoodie; It felt like the only thing keeping him conscious. 

''Yep! Give me a second, and we can go,'' Hannah called back, running down the hallway.  
  


George left the room and went to the front door, slipping his shoes on while he waited for Hannah. She looked excited when he saw her again, her purple-streaked hair in a low ponytail. She was wearing a regular grey hoodie and black leggings, she usually wore that or something similar, so it wasn't shocking. 

''You ready now?'' He asked, ready to open the door. Hannah patted her pocket and then nodded, walking through the door once George opened it. ''How long has it been since you've seen Sophie?'' George asked, looking at Hannah while locking the door. ''A few months, I think. We facetime daily though,'' Hannah smiled, telling George about their conversation's they had all the way to the park.

-

The park was bustling with people, mostly moms and their children, or people on their way to work. However, Sophie and Sapnap weren't hard to miss.

Sophie had bright blue hair, her blonde roots showing, but just barely. She also had a bright blue jacket on; They definitely weren't hard to miss.

Hannah gasped and ran towards Sophie, who also ran to Hannah, and tackled her into a hug, giggling after pulling away. ''Soph, I haven't seen you in ages! I missed you,'' Hannah said, smiling brightly. ''We literally facetimed yesterday,'' Sophie replied, laughing a little. ''Oh shut up, you can't hug over facetime,'' Hannah rolled her eyes and slung her arm over Sophie's shoulder. 

''Nice to see you, Sophie,'' George said, trying to put on an enthusiastic voice. ''You haven't grown an inch,'' Sophie said, glancing at George. Hannah giggled in reply and walked up beside George, ''Look! I'm taller than him,'' She prided, showing off their barely noticeable height difference.

''Damn George, I can't believe your sister is taller than you,'' Sapnap butted in, chuckling. ''Oh shut up,'' He playfully shoved Hannah, who returned to Sophie's side. 

''So, where do you guy's plan on going?'' Sapnap asked while George pulled his phone out. His eyebrows furrowed as no good morning texts came up, a sad feeling washing over him. Maybe he had imagined last night?

_'His voice was too real,'_

George shook his head and put his phone back, having missed the whole conversation. ''Well, George, are you ready to go?'' Sapnap turned to him, pointing back. ''Yeah,'' He said, glancing towards Hannah. ''Call me when you want me to pick you up, or Sophie can bring you to Sapnap's,'' He said while waving. 

Hannah and Sophie both nodded in agreement and turned around, starting to talk.

''Are you okay?'' Sapnap asked once the girls were out of earshot, his eyebrows furrowing. ''Yeah, Hannah and I stayed up last night, so I didn't get very much sleep,'' He lied through his teeth, feeling bad. ''Oh, okay,'' Sapnap said, letting the two fall into a comfortable silence while they walked to Sapnap's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dream won the gaming category in the streamys!! im so happy for him (:: he deserves it so much and im super glad that he got it !!!  
> quick little side note; thank you so much for 230+ kudos, 65+ bookmarks and almost 3k hits !!! thats legitimately insane and im so so happy that im getting this much support on something i came up with while sleep deprived, its seriously such a refresher (: /g
> 
> fun fact #9; i have a 3.5k word google doc that has a good chunk of the storyline sitting in it and i use it as a very vague outline; if i ever decide to post the doc, you'll see that a lot of the chapters changed drastically. (:
> 
>   
> **IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING BLM;**
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	11. Heaven On Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .. i cant rlly give a summary without spoiling it but its fucking cute ok?

George trailed behind Sapnap, picking at his cuticles as he walked into the house. Sapnap disappeared upstairs, unsurprisingly, and George made his way into the kitchen. George made eye contact with Alex, breaking it to glance down to the half-rolled joint. ''Hi,'' Alex said, almost sheepishly, before returning to rolling the joint. George just hummed, not really in the mood to speak, and opened the fridge. 

He just wanted apple juice; He believed that it was the solution to all of his problems. 

George scanned the fridge, shoulders drooping farther than they already were as he noticed the lack of the amber coloured juice. George settled on a water bottle and closed the door. George opened the bottle and took a sip before going into the living room, leaving Alex to continue his doings. 

George flopped onto the couch after putting his bottle onto the coffee table, pulling his phone out lazily. _'Still no good morning text,'_ George thought sadly, scrolling through his notifications to make sure he didn't miss it. _'I'm getting ahead of myself,'_

_'He probably doesn't care about me,'_

George frowned, his lip beginning to tremble between his teeth. _'Or, he just forgot,'_

_'Why would he forget if he cared for me?'_

George shook his head and put his phone down, tiredly rubbing his eyes and ridding them of their growing pinpricks of tears. _'I'm not going to cry over him,'_ He said to himself, wrapping his arm over his chest and curling up into the corner of the couch. He fought back a yawn, his eyes staying open despite the exhaustion he felt. 

He desperately wanted to sleep.

The exhaustion was starting to creep into his bones, settling into his joints. He felt like a mirage, still in and out of reality and fiction. _Who was he? Did he even deserve sleep?_ George furrowed his eyebrows and flexed his hands, making sure they kept their feeling. _He still had hands, that was nice._

George glanced back at the sound of Sapnap running down the stairs, curling up a little more as the door opened. George vaguely heard Skeppy talking, his voice on the verge of becoming obsolete. He clenched his fists again, making sure they still existed.

A familiar voice pulled him into the conversation, his head perking up slightly. _'Dream?'_ It felt like his stomach flipped over at the sound of his voice; Sapnap failed to mention he would be here. George felt his body tense at the sound of heavy footsteps nearing, still not ready to face the taller man. He quickly flipped over, curling up with his face towards the couch.

His heart quickened as the footsteps entered the room, pairs of eyes digging into his back. ''Is he asleep?'' Dream murmured, barely audible. 

''Yeah, let's go into the kitchen, he needs it,'' Sapnap murmured back, ushering the two into the kitchen; Leaving George to hear their hushed voices from the room over, desperately wanting to be apart of the conversation... _To see Dream._  
  
He felt obsessive, and he probably was, but overall his carelessness took him over. He just wanted to hear Dream speak again. He craved it, oddly enough. It's strange what a week of knowing someone can do to you. He wanted to hear Dream say his name, whether it be soft murmurs of tranquillity or the loud booming laughter he would get after a joke. 

All while George was deep in his thoughts, he didn't even notice the lack of feeling in his hands.   
  


_-  
  
_

After what George assumed a few minutes was, he pushed himself up and walked into the kitchen, forcing a smile down at the sight of Dream on his phone. ''Oh, Good morning George,'' Sapnap said, causing Dream to look up with a small smile. 

It took all of George's willpower to not smile. ''Hi,'' He murmured, rubbing his eyes, ''What time is it?'' He asked.

''Uhm... Just became four about ten minutes ago,'' Sapnap said, glancing at the clock and then back at George, who suddenly felt his hands regain feeling. ''Wait, what?'' He said, cocking his head to the side, hoping that it was a joke. ''Yeah, you were asleep for a while.''

_'I wasn't asleep,'_

''Yeah, I guess,'' He murmured, hoping nobody caught his nervousness. George took a seat across from Alex, who looked at him with a smile. 

George tuned out the conversation that picked up between Alex and Sapnap, focusing on Dream who was still on his phone. Skeppy was also on his phone, a small smile on his tanned features as he typed away. George couldn't help but mentally plead for Dream to even look at him; An ounce of attention would've been nice. He had just zoned out for almost six hours; Literally, anything would've been better in the given moment.

George traced Dream's jawline with his eyes, grazing over the stubble carefully. He traced the outline of another scar George failed to notice, on the right side of his face; It was small and barely noticeable unless you were up close or were staring intently, just like George was. 

_'Stop being a creep,'_ He said to himself, looking at his hands. 

After a moment of debate, he stood up. Alex looked up at him while talking but said nothing, returning back to Sapnap. Dream looked up, staring at George as he walked up to the fridge, grabbing an ice cube from the freezer and walking into the living room. 

George sat back down on the couch and grabbed his water bottle, putting the ice cube into it after a moment of struggle. He took a quick sip, relishing in the cold feeling that coated his throat. 

George looked up as Dream entered the living room, taking a seat in the armchair across the couch. George stared at Dream's shoulders for a moment before looking back down at his water bottle, trying to push away the blush that began creeping up his neck. It was practically silent, the only noise George could hear was Alex and Sapnap talking in the kitchen. 

Dream seemed to notice his stiffness, dragging his eyes over the smaller quietly. 

''You forgot my good morning text,'' George muttered, shocked at how shaky his tone became. George looked up to see Dream furrow his eyebrows, pulling his phone out. A soft _'tch'_ left the blond, who then showed the screen to George. 

A bright red _**'Not Delivered!'**_ sat under the message. ''Oh,'' George murmured while reading it, his heart tugging painfully at the sincerity. 

_'Good morning, George (: Are you doing okay? Sapnap said you were coming over later, I'm excited to see you again!'_

''So... Good morning,'' The blond chuckled, pulling his phone back. George was quiet for a second, processing the message. _'He's excited to see me?'_ George bit back another smile, glancing up at Dream. ''Good morning,'' He replied sheepishly. 

''I was actually wondering why you hadn't responded; I thought I was put in one of those left on delivered situations,'' Dream wheezed, showing a beaming smile. ''Well, are you okay?'' Dream asked after a moment, eyebrows furrowing as George's shoulders drooped. ''Yeah, just tired,'' George murmured; It wasn't a lie, he hadn't slept in almost two days. 

Dream studied George, watching as he played with his hoodie strings.

''I see you're still wearing my hoodie,'' Dream smiled, attempting to make eye contact with George. It wasn't returned, but Dream figured it wouldn't have been. George felt his face heat up, fiddling with the hoodie strings a little more. ''Yeah, It's comfy,'' He said softly with a smile. 

Dream felt that George would appreciate a clean hoodie; Dream was almost one hundred percent sure that George hadn't changed out of the hoodie since Dream gave it to him.

''Can I have it back?''

George felt his face fall, a sudden crushing weight fell upon his shoulders as he stared at Dream dumbfoundedly. ''What?'' He stammers out, wanting to slap himself for his idiocy. _'Just give him the hoodie,'_

''Oh, no,'' Dream started, raising his hands sheepishly. ''I meant like, can I have that one-'' He pointed to the hoodie, ''And I'll give you this one.''

_'Oh,'_

''Oh, Okay,'' George mumbled, and pulled the hoodie off reluctantly. Dream did the same and the two traded, George putting on the new hoodie happily. The hoodie engulfed him like the other one, sitting mid-thigh when pulled all the way down. 

George inhaled, shoulders relaxing at the familiar black ice smell. 

George laid back down, rubbing the sleeve between his thumb and pointer finger. ''Thank you,'' He said quietly, glancing at Dream before curling up a little bit. ''You're welcome, Georgie,'' Dream murmured, watching as George closed his eyes and soon fell asleep. 

Dream smiled fondly, focusing on the short breaths George took in. If Dream had the opportunity, he'd want to live in this moment forever.  
  


_-_   
  


George woke up to Dream gently nudging his shoulder, a soft noise of disagreement uttered out of him before he opened his eyes and stared at Dream. George cocked his head to the side, too tired to form proper words. 

''C'mon, Sapnap wants you to eat,'' Dream said gently, his voice wrapping around George's head like a ribbon.

George reluctantly pushed himself up, not even noticing Dream was holding his hand and helping him up. The two walked into the kitchen quietly, letting the hands of each other go to sit down across from each other. 

George sat in front of a plate, eyeing chicken and spinach carefully. 

_'Can I even eat?'_

''George?'' Dream murmured, catching his attention. George looked up, a small hum leaving him. ''Are you gonna eat?'' He asked, glancing down at George's plate before going back to George. Dream must've noticed the way he faltered, a concerned expression sitting upon his taut features. George bit his lip, staring back down at the plate before nodding and grabbing the fork. He picked up some spinach, taking a bite after a moment of staring at it. _'Did he cook this?'_

George kept up like that, taking careful bites of the food until half the plate was empty. He was too full to eat anymore, he felt gross. ''Where's Sap?'' He murmured, cringing at his scratchy voice. 

''He, Alex, and Skeppy went to the store,'' Dream said, matching George's soft tone. ''And he said he was gonna pick your sister up.''

''I'm full,'' He mumbled after a moment of silence. ''Okay, do you wanna go back to the living room?'' Dream asked, ready to hold his hand out. George hummed and nodded his head, standing up slowly. He glanced at Dream's outstretched hand for a second before taking it, letting Dream lead him back into the living room. 

He flopped back down onto the couch, ready to go back to sleep. ''You're not going back to bed, right?'' Dream asked, kind of concerned for the older boys health. 

''Can I be honest?'' George murmured, hearing Dream hum in confirmation. ''You just woke me up from my first sleep in like, two days,'' George said, borderline whining because he was tired. 

''I thought you were sleeping earlier?''

''No, I was zoned out,'' George mumbled, rubbing his hands over his face. ''Do you want me to put on a movie? You can go back to bed,'' Dream said, his tone apologetic. George just hummed, sitting up a little as Dream sat down next to him. He turned the TV on and picked some movie that George didn't know or cared about. 

It was silent between the two, almost dragging on ten minutes before Dream spoke. ''Can I touch you?'' George looked at Dream with doe-like eyes and nodded, curious to see what the other would do. Dream started to run his fingers through George's hair, and George leaned into the loving touch, a soft smile on his features as he closed his eyes.   
  
After a few moments, George leaned in and rested his head on Dream's shoulder while Dream continued to run his hand through George's hair.

George's breathing slowly evened out, slipping into a peaceful, and safe, sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bit of a late update, but this is probably like... another one of my favourite chapters- and i know ive said that abt like three of them but this one (by far) is my most favourite (:  
> this is seriously one of the fluffiest things ive ever written im pretty sure- but, would you guys be curious abt seeing a chapter in dreams pov? 
> 
> and.. would you guys be interested in a christmas special? (:<
> 
> fun fact #10; a comment on the last chapter reminded me of this, but the reason i started this account/started writing dnf was because of heat waves! it rlly inspired me (:  
> fun fact #11; the way i view dream in this book is a piece of fanart from sannhah on twitter (https://twitter.com/sennhah/status/1333174960043520009) i kind of put the rest of the features together in my head, but this piece of fanart definitely helped me describe him!
> 
> (sorry for any mistakes, this is completely unedited!!)
> 
> **important info regarding BLM;**
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	12. He Lays Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dream thinks for a little while, and then george wakes up (:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *'s mean a 'POV' change! keep that in mind (: they should be bold, underlined and italic to make them easy to see. (if they aren't, please let me know! i want pov changes to be extremely easy to see so no one gets confused!)
> 
> **trigger warning for slight eating disorder thoughts? george is just kind of scared to eat**

The soft, alluring glow from the sun pulled Dream in as he ran his fingers through George's hair, tiny breaths being the only thing Dream could focus on. It was odd how one boy could take over his entire thought process; Dream would've never thought it would've been someone like George, but he wasn't opposed to it. He felt the need to protect George, not that George couldn't fend for himself, of course, but he felt like George's keeper. 

Dream never wanted to hurt him. He would be consumed by guilt, the mere thought made his fist clench. Maybe he shouldn't focus on that, it wasn't something Dream planned to do anytime soon, if at all. 

Dream looked down at George's face, which was against his shoulder, giving a fond smile at his tranquil features. As if he didn't have anything to worry about; Dream wished that was the reality of everything. He would give up far too much just for George to live peacefully. The night before had shown Dream a vulnerable part of the other, Dream couldn't help but cherish that moment in the silence. Dream wanted to say so much more to George that night, to say everything was going to be okay, but Dream didn't want to lie. Dream knew that George was going to be going through more rough patches within the next few weeks, and possibly his life. But, if George allowed Dream to stick around, he'll try his best to make the others life more manageable. 

Dream looked at the clock across the room, frowning at the bright _'8:34AM'_ displayed. His insomnia had been kicking his ass lately; Nothing seemed to ease him from the dingy grip. Dream felt perpetual tiredness in his bones, he couldn't help but think that's similar to what George has been experiencing.  
  
 _'Maybe I should ask him about it,'_ He thought, glancing at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes.

He couldn't help but think about the way George spoke, how his speech got faster when talking about something he was excited about, how his hands flail and wave when trying to get his point across. Dream loved all of it, in an oddly domestic way. 

_'Get to know him more first,'_ He said to himself, furrowing his eyebrows. _'Maybe I can invite him over to my place?'_ The thought settled in his head, simmering for a little while. _'I should probably invite Sapnap over, so I don't freak him out.'_

Dream nodded to himself, glancing down at the sleeping boy yet again and running his fingers through his hair briefly. A small smile raised on his lips, watching the other's chest rise and fall with each breath. It was something Dream liked to avoid, but George was gorgeous. Dream had never really thought he had a type until he met George. 

Dream wasn't sure what it was that drew him in; It could've been George's smile and the way it was bright and beaming, even when it was painfully obvious George didn't feel the same. Or, maybe it was his eyes, always holding a crisp of positivity, constantly upturned in an inspired cloud. It could've been George's lips, full and glossy despite the weather.

There was a lot that it could've been, in the end, Dream decided to not ponder on specifics and settled on it just being George.  
  
He didn't necessarily believe in love at first sight, maybe on the off chance you immediately click with someone but, George made him think about it frequently. Was love at first sight the phrase he was looking for? Was Dream feeling love? He shouldn't get ahead of himself, he didn't want to convince himself he was feeling such a strong emotion. _'Give it a little more time,'_ He reminded himself.  
  
  
 *******  
  


George woke up with warmth surrounding him, curling him up and keeping him safe. George remembered the night before vividly, usually, he failed to remember what had happened the day before, but how could he forget last night?

George leaned into the other a little more, focusing on the deft fingers that ran through his hair, still remaining gentle even with the repetitive motion. After a few moments, George looked up and met Dream's eyes. Neither of them said anything, they just stared at each other fondly before George leaned his head back down and wrapped his arms around Dream's torso, curling into the other tighter. 

Dream snaked his arm around George, embracing him quietly. 

George closed his eyes again, taking in a deep breath to keep his head from completely spinning off. As George thought about it more, he couldn't remember the last time he had been embraced like this. He hadn't had the time, or mental ability, to just sit down and cuddle with someone. It was so comforting.

Even while wrapped inside Dream's embrace, he couldn't help but feel the pinpricks of tears forming. 

He was touch-starved, the occasional hug from Hannah every few months never really served him any satisfaction. Sapnap wasn't much of a hugger, he chose to stick to half-hugs or light touches. And he didn't have parents to hug him, either. This was a nice change of pace, it gave him momentary peace. He was grateful for it. 

George wiped his eyes briefly, hoping that Dream didn't catch him crying.

While his eyes were closed, he missed Sapnap entering the living room and giving Dream an odd look, cocking his head to the side with a smirk. George wasn't aware of his presence till he flopped down on the armchair across from them, his eyes fluttering open to make eye contact with the others deep, almost black, eyes. Sapnap gave him a knowing look and smirked before pulling his phone out, choosing the ignore the two. 

After a few moments, George forces himself to move, gently tapping Dream's shoulder to tell him to let go of George. ''I'll be right back,'' He murmured, stumbling a little once he was on his feet. 

He walked into the hallway, turning into the bathroom. He walked in and shut the door behind himself quickly, running his hands over his face with a smile. ''That really happened, huh?'' He mumbled to himself, eyes grazing over his features in the mirror. ''That seriously happened,'' He murmured, turning the sink on quickly and splashing himself with some cold water. ''That definitely happened,'' He said giddily, not bothering to hide his smile now that he was alone. 

After George had his little freakout, he left the bathroom and went back into the living room. _'Should I sit next to Dream again?'_

Should he even initiate that? 

After a second of debate, he sat on the other end of the couch, glancing at Dream almost apologetically. It would've been a lie if George said that he didn't miss the warmth the taller gave off. _'I just want to be in his arms again,'_

_'What?'_

''Hey, I'm ordering iHop, you guys want something?'' Sapnap said, glancing up from his phone to look at the two, not missing their sudden separation. _'Should I eat?'_ He thought to himself, glancing down at his fingers. ''Yeah, sure! George?'' Dream turned to George, cocking his head to the side with a questioning tone. _'Yeah, for him,'_

''Sure,'' George said with a small smile, trying to ignore the growing knot in his stomach. He played with the sleeves of the hoodie quietly, biting his lip idly. ''George, they have a pretty sweet deal on pancakes, you want those?'' Sapnap asked, already knowing that the older would say yes. George nodded, yawning softly. ''With some apple juice, please,'' George murmured, suddenly more tired than yesterday. 

''Okie dokie, and Dream?''

''I'll have whatever George is having,'' Dream said, glancing to the side at George before returning his gaze to Sapnap. ''Alrighty, let me go ask the girl's what they want,'' Sapnap said and got up, leaving the two alone again. 

George felt a sudden nervousness creep into his chest, giving a hasty side glance to Dream. Without words, Dream opened his arms a little, in an offering for George to go back to their original position. George faltered for a second, before throwing any negative thoughts away.

He crawled back into the spot, wrapping his arms around Dream's torso again, letting Dream wrap his arms around George. 

Warmth covered him again, instantly shutting down any negative thoughts George had in the back of his mind. 

The two stayed in silence until three sets of footsteps came down the stairs, neither of them moved though. George glanced up and made eye contact with Hannah, who raised her eyebrows at him. ''Oh, Dream! I haven't seen you in ages,'' Sophie suddenly said, ignoring their current position. ''Well, you need to come into town more often, I've been here almost every day,'' Dream chuckled, the vibrations reverberating in George's ears while he leaned into the other more. 

''I came here to see Hannah, I don't know why I would come in just for you,'' Sophie rolled her eyes playfully.

''Because I buy you chocolate,'' Dream retorted playfully, laughing when Sophie slapped her hand against her chest in disbelief. ''Oh shut up,'' Sophie rolled her eyes. ''Hey, Hey, it's the truth,'' Sapnap butted in. ''Not helping,'' Sophie said through gritted teeth. ''Just admit it, you love me!'' Dream exclaimed dramatically, trying to avoid moving too much as to not disturb George. ''Ugh! Never, that's so nasty,'' Sophie stuck her tongue out, laughing when she made eye contact with Hannah.  
  
''Oh! Hannah, meet Dream, Dream meet Hannah.'' Sophie said, pointing at the both of them. 

''It's nice to meet you, Dream,'' Hannah said with a smile, holding her hand out. Dream used his free hand to shake hers, giving her a soft smile before glancing back down at a half-asleep George. 

A conversation drew between Sophie and Hannah, something about a store, but to George, it was mostly jumbled and broken English in his sleepy state. He didn't even realise he was on the verge of falling asleep until Dream gently nudged him. ''The food's gonna be here soon, wait till after, okay?'' Dream whispered, running a quick hand through George's hair while he nodded and yawned, placing his head back down on Dream's torso while forcing himself to stay awake. 

-

Thirty long, and mostly quiet, minutes passed before the delivery man finally knocked on the door. George couldn't help but feel nervous at the thought of eating in front of all these people, regardless of them being friends and family. 

When Sapnap walked back into the living room with a few bags, Sophie and Hannah trailed behind him the kitchen; Leaving George and Dream in silence, not sure whether to move or not.

''C'mon, you gotta eat,'' Dream murmured, nudging George a little. George sighed and unwrapped himself from Dream, standing up. George glanced up at Dream as he stood up, giving a small smile before trailing into the kitchen. Dream was right behind him, soon departing to take a seat next to Sapnap. George sat next to Hannah, trying not to frown the plate of pancakes that was served in front of him.

It's not that he was scared of food, he just doesn't think he can stomach anything. 

His gaze dragged over the pancakes scarcely, a small sigh leaving him. Dream seemed to be the only person at the table to notice it, now staring at George. George stared back, hands borderline shaking. Dream looked down at his pancakes and slowly cut into them, taking a small triangle off and taking a bite with a smile. George glanced down at his pancakes after that, he slowly reached out for his fork, digging into the pancakes and cutting a triangle out. 

He looked back at Dream and ate the triangle, trying to put a smile on despite his fear. Dream nodded his head and took another bite out of his pancakes, giving George a hidden thumbs-up. That was all George needed to take another bite. _'For him,'_

He tried his best to get into whatever conversation was happening, but after a few minutes, multiple tense bites, and a half of a pancake later, he pushed his plate away and stood up. ''I'm gonna go lay down,'' He said and left the kitchen without any further words.

He flopped onto the couch, snuggling into the hoodie a little bit while curling up. He missed the warmth Dream gave off. He just wants to hug the younger again, be in his embrace, and sleep more. He was still so tired, despite having slept over twelve hours. 

George rubbed his hands together, cringing at their freezing temperature. His hand's were always cold, no matter the weather, but he doubts that the upcoming winter helps his cause.

George looked up as Dream walked into the living room, holding a bag, probably leftovers. ''Well, I gotta go, I gotta give my friend some stuff,'' Dream said and looked down at George, who suddenly felt sad. George just stared back at Dream, trying to get words out but utterly failing and settling on a small frown. 

''Can I hug you?'' Dream asked, placing the bag down on the coffee table.

George's eyes widen in surprise, but he stood up quickly, giving a hasty nod. Dream wrapped his arms around George's shoulders, and George wrapped his arms around Dream's torso. The two melted into the hug, focusing on the warmth they created.

But, just as it happened, it ended. George pulled back while Dream pulled back, giving him a soft smile. ''I'll see you later, Georgie,'' Dream murmured while grabbing the bag. He left the living room and made his way to the door, opening it.

Dream gave George a smile and a wave before shutting the door, leaving George to stand in the hallway with a frown.

Is it weird he already missed him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this update is a little late, i got caught up with some stuff and then fell asleep in the middle of writing this lmfao  
> i hope this chapter makes up for it tho!
> 
> fun fact #12; i think i mentioned this in one of the first chapters but all of the titles for the chapters are songs im listening to currently when writing/posting the chapter (: i think thats pog!
> 
> (sorry for any mistakes, this is completely unedited!!)
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	13. Heart For Brains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we finally go back to the drug dealing part of the book lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *'s mean a 'POV' change! keep that in mind (: they should be bold, underlined and italic to make them easy to see. (if they aren't, please let me know! i want pov changes to be extremely easy to see so no one gets confused!)

Dream felt his heart break when he looked at George on the couch, obviously sad at their departure. Unfortunately, he had a job to do, and he hoped George understood that. 

Their hug had left Dream in a warm haze, a bubbly feeling laying in his chest while he waited for his friend to show up. Dream couldn't stop thinking about it, it took over his mind. It had ended all too quickly; He wished he was still hugging the other right now. Instead, he was sitting in the coldness of the streets, pulling his jacket closer to him as the wind blew angrily. _'Wilbur couldn't have picked a worse spot, could he?'_

Well, he could've chosen to meet at the docks, which would've been significantly worse. 

Dream shook his head and wrapped his arms around himself, leaning against the brick wall with closed eyes. Usually, he didn't do dealing in the middle of the day, it was an easy way to get caught, but Wilbur only gave him one option, so he stuck with it. 

He was generally buddy-buddy with cops, despite his disliking for them. He had been in prison once before, it wasn't a good experience, but it toughened him up. 

But, on the off-chance that an officer saw him, and checked up on him, he was respectful. Well, as respectful as he could. Some of the cops he encountered were assholes. Having knowledge of his previous sentence, they felt more powerful than him, or something; He wasn't entirely sure what caused them to be assholes. 

Once he was let out, Wilbur was one of the first people to help him get back on his feet. And, after such an experience, people may think that Dream would change for the better and stop selling, but, you only live once. Dream didn't consider himself suicidal, but he didn't care about his life that much. It's not that he would end himself by his own hands, it's just that if death ever knocked on his door, he wouldn't hesitate to let her in.

Before prison, he was a generally wimpy guy; He carried little to no muscle, he was skinny, and his personality was the definition of a nerd. Not that being a nerd was wrong, of course, Dream just enjoyed his outgoing, hardheadedness now. Plus, he now sports some cool scars. Which, were painful at the time, but now he intimidated others, and he enjoyed it.

The trial was hot shit, lots of aggression and hard hands. Dream was surprised he didn't get a longer sentence, but, maybe the judge saw something in him. He was an intelligent young man who, realistically, had a lot going for him. But, in the end, Dream still chose the aberrant way to get by in life. 

And, once he got the hang of it, it proved itself to be easy. 

''Dream?''

Dream turned his head to meet Wilbur, who was sporting a black trenchcoat with a dress shirt and dress pants underneath. ''Hey, Wil. What's with the get-up?'' Dream asked with a chuckle, grazing his eyes over the other. ''Ah, I was picking up Fundy,'' Wilbur said, his voice friendly. ''Oh, how is he? I haven't seen him since his last birthday,''

''He's been doing alright, his mother has been a bitch though,'' Wilbur said, obviously annoyed with his ex. ''You'd think after going back and forth with her for over seven years, she'd lighten up.''

''Yeah, you gotta get that sorted,'' Dream chuckled.

''Planned too.''

''Alright, come over here,'' Dream murmured, walking down a small alley to the back of a building. Dream had already made sure the area was void of cameras days before; He wasn't taking any chances. ''You know, we could've just met at your house instead of putting both of us on the fence,'' Dream said offhandedly, glancing at Wilbur while pulling a foil package out. ''You're right, but I had Fundy over this whole week,'' Wilbur just said, holding a small smile at the mention of his son. ''Fair enough,'' Dream said, ''So, to double-check, you're getting fifteen twenties of Adderall, sixteen twos for Xanax and an ounce?'' Dream asked in a hushed tone, only audible to the two of them. ''Yep,'' Wilbur replied, handing Dream crumpled bills. Dream took them and counted them quickly, giving Wilbur the foil package once he confirmed there were four hundred and sixty dollars in the stack.

''Thanks,'' Wilbur said, pocketing the package. ''I haven't seen much of you, either,'' He then said, pointing at Dream. ''I've been pretty busy,'' Dream said, telling the truth for the most part. He had been hanging out with Sapnap a lot, but he had other dealings. 

''I figured, do you wanna hang out soon?'' Wilbur asked, holding a small smile. ''Yes, sure, what day?'' 

''I was thinking Tuesday, does that work for you?'' 

''Yep, as far as I know. I'll text you if anything comes up though,'' Dream said with a smile. ''Alrighty, and you can bring someone else if you want, the more, the merrier. Alex, Punz, and a few of the others will be there.'' 

Dream's thoughts instantly drove to George, _'It's an easy way to hang out with him,'_

''I already have someone in mind, I'll see you then,'' Dream said with a sharp smile, trying to ignore the heat that grew in his face. ''Seeya later,''

Dream walked alongside Wilbur in the alley before departing with a small wave, pulling his phone out while walking down the sidewalk. 

_******* _

George didn't do much once he got home from Sapnap's, aside from miss the warmth Dream gave him. Hannah had been talking to him about her day with Sophie, and he did try to listen. 

However, once Hannah went into the bathroom to take a shower, George sighed with relief. She was a chatterbox, George could barely handle it. 

While on the couch petting Ollie, his phone buzzed, scaring Ollie off of his lap. ''Oh come on, you're such a scaredy-cat,'' George rolled his eyes with a smile while picking his phone up, his smile growing twice its original size at a text from Dream.

**Dream, 1:39PM**   
_'Hey, my friend Wilbur invited me to his house for Tuesday and said I could bring someone else, would you be interested?'_

**Gogy, 1:40PM**   
_'sure! i think i know who ur talking abt, sapnaps mentioned him a few times'_

**Dream, 1:40PM**   
_'Awesome (: I'll send the addy over later, can't wait to see you!'_

_'Can't wait to see me?'_ George thought while placing his phone down, trying to calm his racing heart. 

_'I can't wait to see him.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> theres a lot to unpack here for such a short chapter- we have new characters, we have wilbur as a dad (fundy is 7 oh my gosh), we have some dream backstory and much more-  
> the amount of stuff i had to look up regarding drug possession charges, the price of xanax/adderall/weed, etc. makes my search history look very sus  
> oh, also, shameless twitter plug; M00BL00M_AO3_ I plan to start using it more for fun stuff regarding this story, including polls and ideas, maybe check it out? (:
> 
> fun fact #13; i know nothing about drugs. every, single, part of my knowledge is coming from google and some personal experience 
> 
> (sorry for any mistakes, this is completely unedited !)
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	14. East Coast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> salad (:

George didn't realise how lonely he was until he dropped Hannah off, his apartment now eerily quiet aside from the occasional meow from Ollie.

His TV was on mute, not in favour of hearing the drama displayed, and he stared at his ceiling while tapping his couch. He couldn't help but frown, an odd tugging sensation pulling at his heart. He was still wearing Dream's hoodie, taking in the black ice scent to calm himself. _'I'm seeing him on Tuesday, two more days,'_ George thought, glancing at his cracked ceiling with half-lidded eyes. 

After a moment, George stood up and walked into his room, looking over himself in the full-length mirror with tired eyes. The hoodie was yellow, very mustard yellow, with a black smiley face on the front. Was the hoodie actually yellow? Dream didn't seem like the type of guy to wear yellow, so maybe it was green. He'll ask him on Tuesday. 

George played with the edges of the hoodie, gently rubbing his fingers over the stitching. 

He was grateful Dream had given him his hoodie, twice, with the recent weather change, George had been freezing. And, he tended to forget a hoodie of his own. His worst trait was his forgetfulness, in his opinion. It had led to a lot of missed plans, missed meals, dehydration; Overall, not good. 

_Had he even eaten today?_

George gripped his stomach gently, trying to ignore how shaky his hand was. George grimaced at his lack of muscle, yet again; It seemed to happen a lot. Everyone in his family was generally wimpy, strength wasn't something that was genetically passed to him. He had stamina at most, which was pretty good in certain situations but overall, didn't do much for his physical attributes. He was envious of Dream for that, it was clear that muscle was hidden underneath his hoodies and shirts. George could feel it when hugging him, the way his arms wrapped around George and kept him in place. It was dizzying. 

George jumped at the sound of his phone buzzing, his eyes snapping to the grey device. He picked it up, sucking a sharp breath in at a text from Dream.

**Dream, 3:43PM**  
_'Hey, are you hungry?'_

Well... That's pretty random. George frowned as his stomach growled, suddenly reminded of the last time he ate. Too long ago.

**Gogy, 3:43PM**  
_'kindaaaa, why??'_

**Dream, 3:43PM**  
_'Do you want me to order your something?'_

George's brows pinched together, his lips pursing into a line as he read the text a few times. _'Why would he order me something?'_

_'He's probably just trying to make sure I eat,'_ He thought to himself, biting his lip nervously. _'I don't wanna make him spend money on me,'_

_'He's probably trying to build a relationship to hurt me,'_ George thought, before throwing the thought away with a shake of his head, a frown settling on his features. _'He's just taking care of me.'_

**Gogy, 3:44PM**  
_'oh u dont have 2..'_

**Dream, 3:44PM**  
_'But I will (: What do you want?'_

George frowned again, a small sigh leaving him as he sighed.

**Gogy, 3:44PM**  
_'can i have a salad pls?'_

_'That's a good choice, right? Not too expensive..'_

**Dream, 3:44PM**  
_'Of course, what's the address?'_

**Gogy, 3:44PM**  
_'3657 hartland ave, door 29B on the third floor(:::'_

**Dream, 3:46PM**  
_'Okay, should be there in a few mins (:'_

**Gogy, 3:46PM**  
_'thank u (:'_

George put his phone down after that, walking out of his room to sit in the kitchen. ''I really just let him order me food,'' George murmured while staring at the door, an aching feeling beginning to form in his stomach. God, he was hungry. _'Maybe he can read minds,_ ' George thought and chuckled, gripping the counter. 

George waited like that for about ten minutes before the door was knocked on. He opened it to be met with a brunette, who had a small smile on while holding his bag out. ''You paid online previously, with tip,'' The worker said while he grabbed the bag, George nodded softly. ''Thank you,'' He said, waving as she walked away. He shut the door, quietly exhaling at the lack of knowledge for the price. 

He walked back into his kitchen, placing the bag down and unwrapping it, revealing a small black container. George opened the top, smiling at the sight of the salad, slices of grilled chicken sitting on top. _'This looks really good,'_

George grabbed a fork from the drawer, taking the container into the living room. He set the salad down and went to his room, quickly getting his phone before going back into the living room and sitting down. George untopped the dressing, pouring a little bit over the salad before mixing it. Once it was finished, he grabbed some with his fork and took a bite. 

George smiled at the taste, closing his eyes. He was super hungry; Dream is definitely a mind reader.

George pulled his phone out, typing a quick text to Dream.

**Gogy, 4:02PM**  
_'thank u again, this is rlly good (:'_

**Dream, 4:02PM**  
_'You're welcome, you gotta start eating more lol.'_

**Gogy, 4:02PM**  
_'ur right, i'll start remembering more'_

George knew he was lying, but Dream didn't know that. 

After that, George put his phone down and continued to eat his salad, thinking about Dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry that it's so short- this chapter was super hard to write- my adhd has been really bad because i haven't been taking my medication :/  
> ALSO??? thank you so much for 300 kudos and almost 5k hits thats literally in-fucking-sane!!!!!!!!!!!! the amount of support this book has been getting is so amazing and it makes me so happy!  
> i will be doing more updates/stuff in general on my twitter; @M00BL00M_AO3_ , i highly suggest following it!  
>  **side note; im literally moving down the east coast in a week so stuff might slow down a lot LMFAO**
> 
> no fun fact for today, sorry! 
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	15. Stay With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> george is scared of peer pressure and some angst (:<

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **trigger warning for panic attacks at the end/overall degrading talk**
> 
> stay safe!

George was generally okay with little to no information, it wasn't something he preferred, but if it was the only given option, he wouldn't make a fuss. However, when it came to social situations, George needed every single piece of information, or else he was due for a breakdown. A crude talent, but it was something he was best at. 

Dream just so happened to forget to tell him everything; Including, who was gonna be there, what they were gonna do, and much more. And It was driving George insane, to say the least. George picked and bit at his nails all night as Tuesday got one-day closer, now only about twenty-four hours away from going into an unknown situation. 

He trusted Dream, or he liked to believe he did, and that the other wouldn't put him in harm's way. _'Can I really trust anyone though?'_ George thought grimly, his resting face becoming taut with anxiety. _'I trust Dream,'_ He added, trying to help his mental case. _'You also trusted your mother.'_

_Fair enough._

Despite everything, the negative side of him always won. He was stuck with believing Dream was using him, for whatever reason. What was George useful for? He was needy and whiny; Annoying. _'Annoying?'_

_'Grossly so,'_ he couldn't help but think, glancing at his hand and flexing it with a sigh. He felt piteous for Dream and Sapnap; Constantly having to deal with him. How much could they endure before leaving? 

_'Would they leave?'_

George abruptly sat up, an exasperated exhale leaving him. ''Shut the fuck up,'' He grumbled, gripping his arms tightly. After a moment to breathe, George let go of his arms and grabbed his phone, opening Dream's contact with shaky hands.

**Gogy, 8:44PM**  
_'sooo, what r we doing at wilbursss??'_

It was basic enough, right? He didn't sound nervous- Could you even do that over text?

**Dream, 8:44PM**  
_'Well, I planned to stay sober, but everyone else is probably gonna get high and crash.'_

**Gogy, 8:44PM**  
_'oh. do i have 2 do that?'_

**Dream, 8:44PM**  
_'Of course not, you don't have to do anything you don't wanna do, Georgie.'_

George sighed in relief, his features resting slightly. Everything would be okay, Dream was gonna be there with him. _'I can't trust him,'_ His thoughts murmured, causing a crisp frown to settle on his lips. ''Shut up, shut up, shut up,'' He uttered, gripping his head gently. ''Why can't I just be normal,'' He murmured, trying to ignore how his voice shook in the quiet room. 

His ringtone went off, causing him to jump and glance over at his phone, seeing Sapnap's bright contact flashing. _'Shit,'_

''Hello?'' He said as he answered, pulling the phone to the side of his face with a heavy hand. ''You're coming to Wilbur's with Dream, right?'' Sapnap asked, sounding slightly out of breath. ''Erm, yeah- Well, not with Dream, he just invited me...'' George trailed off, trying not to pick at his already damaged cuticles. ''Cool, okay, I'll see you there, okay?'' Sapnap said, his tone sounding oddly comforting. ''Okay,'' George murmured, pulling the phone away from his face once the end dial rang in his ear. 

Well, if Sapnap was also coming, he should be okay...

George couldn't help but think of the people he'll meet; Who would Dream hang out with? Would they make fun of him?

George pulled his legs to his chest, resting his forehead on his knees with a sigh. _'Would they hurt me?'_ His thoughts murmured, barely audible in the racing waters of his mind. _'Dream wouldn't let that happen, surely,'_ George thought, instantly being shut down. _'He's just trying to hurt you, don't get attached.'_ Was Dream actually trying to hurt him? Should he stop hanging out with him? There were plenty of other dealers, right?

_'He wouldn't hurt me,'_ He tried to reassure himself, but he wasn't sure what the truth was anymore. For all he knew, he was living a lie, where everyone disliked him. 

_Dream, Sapnap, Hannah, Sophie, Alex, Skeppy; All of his friends, his family, they hated him. _

George didn't notice how tight his chest had gotten until he tried to take a breath in, letting a strangled whine out instead. He uncurled his legs from his chest, placing a hand on it while trying to breathe. ''Not now, please,'' He murmured, trying to inhale again. His throat felt constricted, nothing coming in. 

George began to hyperventilate, his vision becoming blurry blobs. George started to cry, a heaving sob leaving him as he gripped on his chest tightly, his knuckles becoming white from the harsh grip. 

He couldn't deal with this right now, _'Calm down!'_

As much as he wished it would, it didn't work. Another sob left him, his free hand attempting to wipe the oncoming tears that raced down his cheeks; It was no luck though, they kept coming down in packs.

He wished he could feel the warmth of Dream around him, to calm him down. _'He's the reason I'm like this,'_ His mind added unhelpfully. George tried to push through that desperately, trying to remember what Dream had said when he had called George in the middle of a panic attack. 

_'Deep breath? I can't breathe,'_

George forced the thought down and tried his best to take in a breath, succeeding a little as the air pooled into his lungs, giving him temporary relief. George continued that until his chest was loose, and breathing came easy.

George bit his lip, wiping the tear tracks off of his face with his sleeve, _Dream's sleeve._

''I'm such a fucking mess,'' He murmured while laying down, curling into the blanket and hoodie with little to no thought and numb hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gooooooooood morning guys! fantastic day today, i finally took my medication and was able to focus and bang a SHIT TON OF STUFF OUT !!!!! POGCHAMP!  
> i got kinda lazy at the end ngl-  
> i have a christmas special officially planned, i hope i can get it out before christmas- im not sure???  
> follow me on twitter !!! @M00BL00M_AO3_
> 
> fun fact of the day, #13; i cry reading all of the feedback to my stories /pos
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	16. fml

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its tuesday (: we have fluff to make up for last chapter

George woke up with an unforgivable ache in his chest, like someone had slammed into it multiple times. His stomach churned uncomfortably, a frown settling on his sleepy features. 

Today was Tuesday; He had to see Dream today, and Dream's friends. 

George gripped his stomach harshly, sniffling as he pushed himself up. Ollie was nowhere to be seen, but his room had been growing dirty. When was the last time he tidied up? George thought about picking up the laundry on his floor but ended up pushing it away, shaking his head. He was too tired, too tired to do anything more than live. 

_'How am I supposed to face Dream?'_

The thought pricked his mind uncomfortably, poking and prodding until a wave of nausea washed over him. It shouldn't be an issue, Dream is chill.

_'I barely know him,'_

George sighed, wiping his eyes with his free hand while standing up, glancing in the mirror at his messy appearance. He hadn't showered in a while, his hair stuck up randomly, his face looked sunken in... He looked off. George grimaced, forcing himself to look away from the mirror. He walked out of his room, balancing on the balls of his feet in favour of his downstairs neighbours. He entered the kitchen, staring at the clock for a second. _'It's only twelve?'_

_'Yeesh, that's well over twelve hours of sleep,'_ He thought grimly, shocked at how tired he was despite the amount of sleep he got. George opened his fridge, pulling out a bottle of water and cracking it open, taking a small sip. He put the cap back on, placing the bottle on the counter. George glanced down at his chest, eyes dragging over the smiley design on the 'yellow' hoodie.

He should probably start getting ready, right?

George walked back into his room, opening a drawer and pulling a pair of jeans out. He stripped his pyjama pants off, sliding the jeans over his legs tiredly. George pulled them up and buttoned them, making sure they were zippered. George glanced in the mirror again, wondering if he should change the hoodie. 

After a moment, he shook his head. _'I need comfort, I can't change out of it yet.'_

George hummed as he looked between the two pairs of shoes, one black pair and one blue pair. He grabbed the black pair after a second of thought, slipping them on and tying them. Once he got his shoes on, he reached for his phone, smiling at a notification from Dream. 

**Dream, 10:34AM**   
_'The address is 4249 Jacobs Street, see you there Georgie (:'_

Oh, that's not that far from him. It was about the same distance from his house to Sapnap's house, just in the opposite direction. 

**Gogy, 12:29PM**   
_'im gonna start heading overrr, have u left yet??'_

**Dream, 12:29PM**   
_'Yep, have you?'_

**Gogy, 12:29PM**   
_'no, i just woke up lol..'_

George shook his head and turned his phone off, standing up and leaving his bedroom. He went into the bathroom, running the sink and grabbing his toothbrush. George placed a glob of toothpaste on the bristles, putting it in his mouth after wetting it. He sat there for a minute and a half, making sure he got the taste of morning breath out of his mouth before spitting a wad of toothpaste into the sink. 

He cupped his hands under the running water, quickly swishing some in his mouth before spitting it out and shutting the water off, rubbing his hands over a hand-towel haphazardly.

He had to make a good impression; What could he say? 

Maybe Dream would introduce him, that would be a lot easier. George inhaled and looked in the mirror once more, smoothing his hair down by running his fingers through it a few times. Once there were no more random pieces sticking up, he turned the light off and left the bathroom. ''Ollie?'' He called out, peaking behind corners while looking for the tabby. 

A sharp meow caught his attention, bringing him back to the living room to see Ollie sitting, oddly human-like, on the couch. ''I'll see you later, bud, okay?'' He murmured, petting Ollie gently before patting his pocket, making sure he had his phone and keys on him before leaving. 

Ollie meowed as he walked away, checking his pockets one last time before opening the door. He locked and closed it behind himself, taking his phone out to get the address again. 

Once he set it in the back of his mind, he put his phone away and walked towards the elevator.

-

George stared at the light-coloured house with squinted eyes, not entirely ready to go in yet. After a moment of staring, he pulled his phone out and opened Dream's contact.

**Gogy, 1:30PM**   
_'r u there yet??'_

**Dream, 1:30PM**   
_'In about five minutes, yeah.'_

George put his phone in his pocket, shifting the weight from foot to foot tiredly. George was going to enjoy a nice, long nap after this. 

_'I wonder what Wilbur looks like,'_ He thought, eyes dragging over the house. It seemed like the house a grandmother would own, and that wasn't an insult. The place just had that energy, to George at least.

''George?'' 

George turned around and locked eyes with Dream, a smile forming on his features. ''Hi!'' He said, putting on a happy tone. ''You seem... Chipper,'' Dream said with a smirk, eyes glowing with something unidentifiable. ''We can go with that,'' George rolled his eyes. 

He didn't notice it at the moment, but his shoulders had relaxed greatly, and his features became relaxed as soon as he saw Dream.

''You ready?'' Dream asked while walking up the steps, George trailing behind with a nod. 

Dream knocked on the door, his scarred fist faltering as the door flew open. 

George looked up, expecting to see a chin, but was met with a chest, intaking a sharp inhale as he looked up with wide eyes. George felt a stab of anxiety pin his heart down, his breath getting caught in his throat as he made eye contact with deep brown eyes. ''George, meet Wilbur,'' Dream said, smiling as he gestured to Wilbur. ''Wilbur, meet George.''

''Hello, George,'' Wilbur said with a heartwarming tone, holding his hand out to George. George glanced at Dream, who was leaning down to meet his level, before holding his hand out. Wilbur took his hand in his own, giving a firm shake that shook George to his core. ''Hi,'' He meekly said, almost cringing at how shaky his voice had become. 

''C'mon, let's not waste Wilbur's heat, George,'' Dream murmured, placing a light hand on his shoulder. Wilbur moved to the side, allowing Dream to usher George in. Dream glanced at Wilbur with an apologetic look, mouthing a small 'sorry', before looking back at George. ''Let's sit down,'' He said, moving George to the living room with Wilbur trailing behind. George kept glancing at Wilbur nervously, even as he sat down. 

Dream rubbed his shoulder gently and then tapped Wilbur's shoulder. He pointed to the hallway, and Wilbur nodded. ''I'll be right back, George.''

George felt his shoulders relax when Wilbur left the room, a small sigh leaving him as he rubbed his shaking hands together. It was quiet, eerily so, until Dream came back.

Wilbur wasn't there, though. George couldn't tell if he was relieved about that or not, honestly. 

''Wilbur isn't gonna hurt you, y'know that right?'' Dream chuckled, putting a warming smile on. ''He's really tall,'' George murmured back, exhaling shakily. ''Here, how about this, if he tries to hurt you, I'll beat him up.'' George looked up at Dream with a half-smile, cocking his head to the side. ''That's stupid,'' George chuckled. ''It's the truth,'' Dream said, holding his pinky out. ''Pinky promise?''

George looked at Dream's pinky with a half-lidded gaze before raising his own pinking, entwining his with Dream's. ''Okay, pinky promise,'' George murmured, glancing at Wilbur who entered the living room. ''Hi,'' George said, holding his hand out again. Wilbur took his hand quickly, gently shaking it. ''Nice to meet you,'' Wilbur said with a smile, going behind the couch after letting George's hand go to sit down. ''When will the others get here?'' Dream asked, pulling his phone out to look at the time.

''Punz should be getting here any minute, same with Alex and Sap,'' Wilbur said while leaning back, stretching a little bit. 

While they spoke, George stared at his hands, missing the warmth of Dream's hand on his shoulder. 

Suddenly, a series of knocks sounded, and a shout came from the other side of the door. ''Well, Punz is here,'' Wilbur said and stood up, walking to the door. George turned his body to see a blonde guy, Punz, holding a white baggie. Wilbur let the other in, saying some muffled words. Punz took a glance at Dream and then landed on George, cocking his head to the side. Dream looked him from his phone, a smile placing itself on his features. ''Hi, Punz,'' Dream beamed and then glanced at George. 

''Oh, Punz, meet George, George meet Punz,'' Dream said, gesturing to the two of them. ''It's nice to meet you,'' Punz said, holding his hand out to George. George took the others hand, shaking it before pulling it back with a smile. ''Nice to meet you, too.''

After that, Punz and Wilbur began to conversate. Dream sat next to George on his phone, seemingly just scrolling through Instagram. It left George to think about the night before him, about to unfold. 

George twiddled his thumbs together, focusing on his breathing in an attempt to ignore the warmth Dream gave off. George just wanted to crawl into the arms of the other, to fall asleep peacefully. 

George glanced up at Dream, looking at the scarred blonde through the corner of his eye. _'Look at me,'_ He couldn't help but think, desperately wanting to be the centre of the attention of the other. _'Please, look at me,'_ He mentally pleaded, becoming restless. 

Another series of knocks sounded, causing George to jump slightly, grabbing the attention of Dream. ''Ha, ya scared?'' Dream joked, making eye contact with George. George playfully shoved Dream's shoulder, shaking his head. ''No, shut up.''

Sapnap and Alex bounded into the living room, holding a few bags. ''Hey, parties here,'' Sapnap said, causing Dream to roll his eyes. ''Shut up, Sap,'' He chuckled, turning his phone off to look at Sapnap. ''Make me,'' Sapnap said with a glare, causing Dream to heave with laughter. ''You're such a brat, oh my god,'' He muttered in between wheezes. ''Excuse me?'' Sapnap asked while setting the bags down and sitting next to Punz, resting his legs on the other. ''You heard what I said,'' Dream said while calming himself down from his previous laughing fit, glancing at George with a smirk. 

Alex sat down on top of Punz, who let out a loud huff and groan. ''You're both so annoying,'' Punz murmured, pushing Alex to the floor, ''Stay down,'' Punz rolled his eyes. 

''I can't deal with you,'' Alex said and pulled out a joint, grabbing a lighter from his pocket and lighting it, taking a deep breath in. While holding the smoke, he handed the burning joint to Punz, who copied Alex. ''Gimme, gimme,'' Sapnap muttered over and over until Punz gave him the joint. 

Alex was the first person to let his smoke out, a cloud wrapping around his head and surrounding him. 

George started to relax a little bit more as time went on, occasionally laughing at a few jokes the others made, but in the end, rested his head on Dream's shoulder.

While George was on the verge of falling asleep, Dream tapped him, causing his eyes to open. He hummed, glancing at Dream. ''I gotta get up,'' He murmured. George lifted his head off of Dream's shoulder, tensing up as he left the room, leaving him with the others. 

His hands intertwined, shaking as he waited for Dream to come back. Sapnap gazed over George, holding the, mostly burnt out, joint to him. He shook his head and pushed Sapnap's hand back. Sapnap shrugged and took another hit, going back to his conversation with Alex. 

George turned to the side excitedly as Dream came back, a smile playing on his lips as he looked up to make eye contact with him. ''Come here,'' Dream murmured, walking into the hallway. George followed him blindly, letting out a small squeak as Dream wrapped his arms around George, embracing him.

After a second, George melted into the hug, letting out a shaky exhale. The warmth muddled his mind, dumbing him down to a simple state. 

Dream ran his hands up and down George's back, ''You look good in lime,'' He murmured into George's hair. ''Well, that's good. I didn't think you were a yellow person,'' George murmured back, glancing down at the hoodie. 

''How is that even remotely yellow,''

''I'm colourblind,'' George giggled, laughing a little bit harder as Dream started to laugh. ''Oh, that makes sense,'' he muttered, now pulling out of the hug. George wanted to go back into his embrace, but let the other go in the end. Dream made his way back into the living room, George following behind.

George made eye contact with Alex, who was being held by Punz like a child.

''What the fuck,'' He said, letting out a confused laugh. 

George sat back down, soon falling into a fit of laughter as Punz dropped Alex. 

-

A few hours had passed, George was officially too tired to be social, and Dream realised it; So they said goodbye, giving a quick hug to Sapnap, a few waves to the others before leaving. 

The two of them walked down the stairs, a sudden ache forming in George's chest. _'This is where we part, huh?'_ He thought dramatically.

What George didn't expect was another hug as soon as they got off the stairs, caught by surprise again. Warmth surrounded him and kept him free from the cold weather, listening to Dream's heartbeat. ''Make sure to eat some dinner, alright?'' Dream whispered before pulling back, giving George a soft smile while he backed away. ''I will, seeya later!'' George said, waving spastically before turning around and making his way back to his house with a warm feeling settling in his bones. 

-

George glanced at his phone as it rang, excitement running wild as he saw Dream's contact.

''Hello,'' He said once he picked it up, a smile evident through his voice. ''Hi, Georgie. Did you eat?'' Dream asked, a small clicking noise in the background catching his attention. ''Yep, I had some oatmeal.''

''Good boy, I'm proud of you.''

George ignored the way his face became flush, humming into the phone.

''So, how was it?'' Dream asked, ''It wasn't too bad, right?'' 

''It was fun, I was a little scared at first but, I just needed to adjust,'' George murmured, playing with a loose string on his bedsheets. ''T...Thank you for hugging me,'' He stammered out after a moment, restlessly waiting for Dream's reply.

''You're welcome, George,'' Dream said, his smile transparent in his voice. ''It's getting pretty late, you should go to bed,'' Dream added, tapping on something. 

''Okay, goodnight Dream,'' George murmured.

''Goodnight, Georgie.''

The end dial sounded, and George just gave a dopey smile as he thought about Dream. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the difference between george at the start of the chapter vs the end of the chapter is what gives me life ngl- anyways (: i hope you enjoy this chapter- i know we didn't really get much of the others, i'm sorry about that!! i've never sat down and watched punz, so i didn't wanna write him completely off i guess-
> 
> you should follow my twitter account, if you arent already @M00BL00M_AO3_
> 
> fun fact #14; i have two major plot points stuck in my drafts right now, and i don't know which one to use. its a mystery (:<  
> (this isn't edited, as always, maybe i should get a beta reader?? im not sure-)
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	17. Christmas Kids *CHRISTMAS SPECIAL :D*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapter says it all, and yes, this is completely canon in this au (: leads to happy memories in the future

George woke up with a pep in his step, a smile bright on his features. Before he fell asleep last night, Sapnap had called him and asked him to come over the next day to decorate his house for Christmas, and George couldn't pass the offer up. 

George loved decorating for the holidays; He never got to do it when he was a kid, so whenever given the opportunity, he jumped right for it. 

He was overly excited, giddy at the extreme. Already having a vague idea with what he was going to do, where to hang the lights, wrap the tinsel, place the tree; He was all over the place.  It wasn’t his fault as he had been deprived of something that's considered _‘the happiest time of the year'_ up until he was eighteen. He wouldn't let that upset him though, nothing could ruin his mood today; Especially not his excessive amount of trauma.

As he spoon-fed Ollie, he talked his unfortunate ears off. Blabbering about the holidays, and how their approaching dates meant the world to him. It didn't seem like Ollie cared much. Of course he wouldn't, he's a cat. 

George didn't expect Ollie to reply or anything, that would've been absurd, but he would've appreciated a glance in his direction. After throwing the spoon in the sink and the empty can in the garbage, he got himself ready.

While passing the living room, he caught a glimpse of white in the corner of his eye. He did a double-take, eyes widening at the amount of snow that covered the ground. A spark of felicity zapped through his body, a beaming smile placed on his features as he took it all in.

_ 'It hasn't snowed this much in years,' _

George took a few steps back, taking in a deep breath. _'I wonder if Dream likes snow,'_ George should ask him when he gets the chance. 

George brushed his thoughts away after a moment, turning back into the hallway and into his bedroom. He pulled open his closet, mahogany eyes drifting over his array of shirts, hoodies, and coats. Once George's eyes landed on his puffy, black jacket, George grabbed it. He pulled it over his arms, sliding the furred hood over his head as he left the room, not bothering to close the closet behind him. 

He patted the hoodie pocket, making sure he had his phone and keys before pulling his boots out. He didn't wear them often, but they helped with the traction when it came to ice. He lazily tied the boots, wrapping the extra lace around his ankle, tying a small bow. 

He stood back up and opened the door, giving Ollie a small wave as he closed it behind himself.

*

George stared in awe at the snow as he walked down the street, his eyes wide and glossy as he watched snowflakes fall. 

The last time the city got more than a dusting, from what George could remember, was well over twelve years ago. To see this much snow still accumulating after such a long time was a miracle. Sometimes, George wished that this was a yearly occurrence. Most of the time, it was just cold enough to freeze people up; To compensate for the lack of snow. 

He glanced up at Sapnap's house, which already had lights decking the outside, and made a run for it. Jumping up the stairs two at a time that, thankfully, weren’t covered in ice. 

George didn't bother knocking, opting to plough into the door dramatically and almost fall flat on his face. ''George?'' Sapnap called out, peeking his head out from the living room hallway. ''Oh, hey,'' Sapnap said. ''Hey,'' George replied, somewhat out of breath. 

''Is George here?'' Dream called, now poking his head out and smiling at the boy. ''Close the door, heat ain't free,'' Sapnap snapped, no real malice in his words. George murmured a quick sorry and shut the door, shuffling his jacket off onto the floor, sliding his shoes off and placing them next to the jacket. 

''Hi, Dream,'' George said while walking down the hallway, giving a small wave to the blond. ''Oh, Georgie, look at this.''

Dream straightened himself out, revealing a sweater with a reindeer on it. ''That's so ugly, Dream-'' George stifled, focusing on the disgusting mesh of dark and light yellows. ''I don't even know what colour it is,'' George finally broke into soft laughter, watching as Dream's face fell a little bit. ''It's red and green,'' Dream provided, pulling the sweater away from his chest a little. ''You wanna see something cooler?''

''Sure,''

Dream pulled out a small box from his pocket, flicking a switch. Suddenly, the sweater lit up, a broken tune of _'Jingle Bells'_ started playing faintly. ''Oh my god,'' George sputtered, slapping a hand over his mouth. ''It's on its way out, Dream.''

''Let me live with it for a little while,'' Dream rolled his eyes, flicking the switch again to turn the sweater off, the broken tune and lights cutting out abruptly. ''How long have you had that thing?'' George asked, gazing over the sweater again. ''I don't know, three years?''

''Oh my god,''

''What?'' Dream asked in disbelief, rolling his eyes again. ''I'm just in the spirit, get with the program.'' Dream said sassily, flicking his wrist. ''You’re giving me a headache,'' George murmured jokingly, knowing that Dream could never actually annoy him. ''Can you both shut up and help me?'' Sapnap muttered, his words muffled from the lights he was biting onto in his mouth. ''Oops,'' George cringed, coming to Sapnap's aid.

Once Sapnap wasn't choking on the colourful lights, George got to the floor and opened a box that held the Christmas tree, in all of its fake glory. 

''Dream, can you help me?'' George asked sweetly, unfolding the plastic branches. ''Of course.''

Dream got to the floor, helping George pull the rest of the tree out. ''Hold that up,'' George muttered, sticking his tongue out in concentration as he started to attach the branches to the base. 

Once the bottom half was on, George screwed the top piece in, placing the branches to the base again. George pulled away from the tree as he finished it, admiring his work. It was nice, messy, but nice. 

After that, George began to place tinsel around the tree, spinning around it. Followed by lights, and then the ornaments. 

George remembered getting his own ornament last year, 'GEORGE' spelled in bright blue, thanks to Sapnap. He thought it was cheesy, but it's the thought that counts. George carefully grabbed the ornament, placing it onto the higher end of the tree. 

One by one, ornaments began appearing on the tree until the tree was full. George stood up fully and took a step back, admiring the tree. ''It's pretty,'' Dream said in a soft tone, gazing at the tree. ''You wanna put the star on?'' Dream asked, holding the golden star out to George. ''Let's put it on together,'' He said, smiling when George nodded. 

George placed his hand on one side of the star, Dream placed his on the other, and the two slowly lowered the star onto the top of the tree. George gazed at the tree, now lit up in all its glory. If it wasn't an odd shade of yellow, George would’ve said it looked gorgeous, but the sight just threw him off. 

After an hour of bickering and petty arguments, the house was fully decorated; Tinsel and lights wrapped around the trim, the tree being the cynosure of the room. Lights were placed along the top of the hallway as well, leading out to the door before stopping. 

Dream cooked up some dinner, some pasta dish that George couldn't remember the name of, and they put on a movie after.

George sat next to Dream, resting his head on his shoulder while watching the film.

He really liked the holidays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i said fuck it and got a beta reader (:::: thank you to [Spazuko](https://twitter.com/spazuko) for making sure i'm not a dummy and missing shit- you can click on her name to go to her twitter, she does really awesome art and deserves the followers!! (:
> 
> also, shamelessly plugging my own twitter here; @M00BL00M_AO3_ , i'm usually just being dumb there but idk- i usually say when i post chapters and stuff (:
> 
> no fun fact for today, my brain no work
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	18. Our Last Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dream remains a huge simp for george, and then chaos

Two long, uneventful days had passed as of Tuesday; Since then, the snow had only gotten worse. The city was going into panic because of it. Some people had gotten snowed into their houses already.

George didn't feel the need to worry, maybe that was a bit dumb on his part, but it seems like his block was doing okay with the snow. He had picked up his mail this morning to see multiple people shovelling the doorway, a few of which he had recognised as well. Niki, his neighbor from downstairs, had been yelling out commands to the others, telling them where the shovels needed to be, amongst other things. 

He wanted to stop by and say hello to Niki, Eret, and whoever their other friends were, but after a harsh breeze that left him shivering, he decided to go back up to his apartment and drink some coffee instead. 

Although he did enjoy his coffee, he craved for human interaction. Usually, he'd talk to Sapnap, or visit his house on the daily; Albeit, the amount of snow in Sapnap's area, though it was a short walk away, was considerably a lot worse than George's part of the neighbourhood. Sapnap had dramatically said that he was completely stuck, with no way in or out. 

So there George sat on his couch in the living room with only the low buzz of the TV to distract himself for self comfort.

_Not that he needed the comfort, of course._

George grabbed his phone and took in a much needed deep breath. The snow should melt soon, hopefully. Then he'd be able to see his friends face to face, and maybe, get a hug. Anything would've worked though, even a handshake. It felt stupid to get so worked up over physical contact, he had gone so long without it before, so why is now any different?

' _Dream_.'

Of course, It was always Dream. 

Maybe if George didn't get so caught up in his fictional ideas, he would've made it a lot farther in life by now. So much farther... And now that he thought about it, he missed Dream, more specifically, his voice. Dream still sent him good morning messages, but George wanted to hear him. Hear Dream say his name, greet him good morning, anything. He just wanted to talk to Dream.

George gulped as he turned on his phone, slowly inputting his passcode, and pressing on Dream's contact. Should he?

He didn't give himself a chance to think before he had already pressed the call button, a surge of anxiety zapped through him as he put the phone on his ear and listened to the monotone ringing. He almost wished Dream wouldn't pick up, almost. 

''Hey Georgie, what's up?''

George felt his breath get stuck in his throat, a small ache beginning to form in his hand from gripping onto his phone too hard.

''Hello?''

George sighed softly, ''Hi,'' He muttered. ''Ah, so you speak?'' Dream teased, shuffling a bit. ''Shut up,'' George grumbled, taking a deep breath. ''Uhm, I'm snowed in, so I'm really bored.''

''I figured, Sapnap wouldn't stop telling me about it this morning, he's such a drama queen,'' Dream chuckled. Heat rose to George's face, a small smile forming on his features as he began to relax more. ''Yeah, his area got hit pretty bad, my neighbours are cool though... And they're uh... Working on it.''

''Did you plan on helping them?''

''Maybe later, I'm pretty tired...'' George murmured, a yawn leaving him. ''Did you stay up late again?'' Dream asked in a caring tone. ''Yeah, I couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard I tried,'' George muttered, suddenly aware of how tired he was. 

''Well, I would say try to sleep now, but if you did, you'd be too awake to sleep at night.'' Dream said, trailing off near the end before humming. ''Let's ask each other some questions, okay?'' 

''Sure, you go first,'' George said, pulling his knees to his chest.

''How tall are you?'' George wanted to hit Dream, lightly of course, but still hitting. ''Five foot eight,'' George responded, ''You?''

''Six four, and a half,'' Dream laughed. ''Shut up,'' George said concededly, a faux sneer appearing on his features. ''Okay, okay, your turn.'' 

''Do you like the snow?'' George asked innocently, comparingly innocent compared to Dream's current thoughts. ''Yeah, but it kind of sucks when it's blocking shit,'' Dream said after a moment of silence, remembering the many dealings he had to cancel because of the cold snap.

''Yeah, It kind of sucks...'' George trailed off, his thoughts wandering to his want for physical affection. ''Are you still wearing my hoodie?''

George smiled and glanced down at the yellow fabric, ''Yes,'' He replied sheepishly, trying to ignore the growing heat in his face. ''Cute, but I should probably give you a new one, right?'' 

George's eyes widened at Dream calling him cute, his mouth becoming dry. ''Uh... Uhm, whatever you wanna do,'' He stammered out, tugging at the collar of the hoodie gently. 

''Cool, see you in ten?''

''Wait, what?'' George said quickly, pulling the phone away from his face a little. ''See you in ten,'' Dream says, and George hears the end dial. He threw his phone down and got to his feet, looking around to find any messes in his house. 'The dishes,' He quickly thinks, speedwalking to the kitchen sink while pushing the sleeves of the hoodie up his arm. 

George turned on the tap, dotting a little bit of soap onto the sponge before scrubbing at the few dishes that remained in the sink, a grimace on his face as he accidentally touched a piece of mushy food. ''Disgusting,'' He muttered, rinsing the sponge out before turning the water off. 

George dried his hands off and pulled the hoodie sleeves back down, making his way down the hallway and into his room. George made his bed, folding the blanket over near the top to make it look a bit neater.

He stepped back to examine his work, a small frown on his face as he eyes the wrinkles in his comforter. 

George hummed and tried his best to flatten it, giving up after a few minutes of patting and spreading out the blanket. ' _I doubt Dream would care_ ,' He thought while walking out of his room, his shoulders tensing at the sharp knocks on his front door.

George tiptoed towards the door, looking through the peephole with wide eyes to see Dream, who was rubbing his hands together. George quickly unlocked the door, smiling at the sight of the tall man. ''Hiya,'' Dream said, shivering a bit. 

''Jesus christ, get inside,'' George grumbled with faux annoyance, grabbing Dream's shoulder and ushering him in, shutting the door behind him. ''You're fucking crazy,'' George mumbled while locking the door, glancing at Dream. 

Dream took his jacket off, along with the hoodie, and held the blue hoodie out to George with a smile. 'I know,'' Dream says smugly, watching as George took the lime hoodie off and replaced it with the blue one. He looked content. 

''You seriously came out here just for that?'' George questioned, handing Dream the lime hoodie. ''Yep!'' 

''You can't go back out there, y'know.''

''Yes, I ca-'' George cut Dream off by holding a finger up, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. ''I won't be letting you, It's fucking freezing.''

''Get comfy,'' George mumbles, ushering Dream to follow him. George showed Dream around his house and even introduced him to Ollie. George couldn't help but feel his heart pounding from his chest. He was ecstatic to see Dream. 

''Here,'' George said and handed Dream a blanket and a pillow, ''Thanks,'' Dream replied with a sharp-toothed smile, placing the items on the couch. ''I hope I'm not being a bother,'' Dream said after a second, glancing at George. 

''No, no, of course not,'' George reassured.

''Alrighty, Georgie, whatever you say.''

George yawned, finally feeling tired enough to sleep. Dream was magical in that sense.

''I'm gonna go take a nap, help yourself to whatever in the fridge,'' George said, not even sure what he had, probably just some apple juice.

''Goodnight,'' Dream said, waving George off as he walked down the hall with a smile. 

''Goodnight,'' He mumbled back, shutting his door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> moving is extremely stressful, im still alive tho (:
> 
> this chapter is the start of dream and georges actual relationship growing btw, i think its a cute chapter to start a plot with.  
> this fic is beta read by [Spazuko](https://twitter.com/spazuko), you should give her a follow (: she posts totally poggers art!!  
> my twitter is [M00BL00M_AO3_](https://twitter.com/M00BL00M_AO3_), i mostly just post updates and stupid stuff.
> 
> and, a special mention because i think its important, you should read [All The Wrong Places, All The Wrong Times](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28214985/chapters/69138840) !! its made by one of my returning viewers and it deserves more recognition
> 
> fun fact #15; i listen to sad songs while writing fluff
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	19. Clusterhug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> uhoh! theyre snowed in (:< \+ fundy appearance!!! woohoo!!

George woke up with a yelp, large hands gripping onto his shoulders and shaking him awake. George's eyes opened, and he snapped his head around to make eye contact with Dream, a small sigh of relief leaving him. ''Yes?'' He murmured sleepily, closing his eyes again. 

''There's like, four feet of snow covering the streets and sidewalks,'' Dream said, stepping back as George sat up abruptly. ''What!?'' He shrieked, jumping onto his feet and running towards his window, his jaw becoming slack at the amount of snow that was present on the streets. ''Oh, you've gotta be kidding me,'' He said under his breath.

''I wish I was,'' Dream said while leaning next to George, taking a few sneaky glances at the older. ''How are you gonna get back home?'' George sputtered, putting his head in his hands. ''I'm not sure,'' Dream said distantly, his eyes dragging over the snowy streets. 

''Hold on, can you even get out of the building?'' George said while picking his head up, leaving the room hastily with Dream following close behind. George struggled to put his shoes on, whereas Dream simply slipped his on. ''Do you need help?'' Dream asked after a moment of George trying, attempting to stifle his laughter at George's frustrated expression. 

''Yes,'' He muttered with defeat, a frown casting over his features. George leaned his leg on the counter, watching as Dream loosened the laces and slipped the shoe on, tying it with ease. He did the same thing with the other shoe, gently tapping the toe to tell George to put his foot down. 

George opened the door, letting Dream out before speed-walking down the hall with Dream behind him. He tapped the elevator button harshly, faltering as Dream grabbed his hand and pulled it back. ''Calm down,'' He murmured, letting go of George's hand to let it fall to his side. ''Sorry,'' George said softly, trying to ignore the sudden flush that covered his features.

Dream and George walked into the elevator as the doors opened, George tapped the main floor button once and waited for the elevator doors to open with his hands intertwined behind his back. He felt a deep bundle of nerves start to twist in his gut, a small bout of nausea running over him. 

_'What if Dream can't leave?'_

He couldn't help but think about it; He wasn't sure if the thought of Dream staying over another night made him ecstatic or uncomfortable, although he doubted it was the latter. Dream made him feel comfortable, more comfortable than a lot of people he met. For god's sake, he slept on the man.

George was brought back into reality at a ding, the elevator doors sliding open to reveal the lobby, which had an abundance of people sitting in it. Typically, it was only the desk-worker, and maybe someone checking their mail. But just from the headcount George took, there was well over ten people. 

''Oh boy,'' Dream muttered, resting his hand on George's shoulder and guiding him out of the elevator. George made eye contact with Niki, who had furrowed brows and a raging aura surrounding her. Her features didn't seem to soften at the sight of George like they usually did, so he didn't bother approaching her. 

George drew his attention to the snow that covered the door, his eyes widening in shock. 

The snow stopped at the middle of George's waist, and despite the amount of snow already, there was still more flurrying down. ''Oh you've gotta be kidding me,'' George mumbled to himself. 

_'There's no way Dream can get back home,'_ He thought, taking a glance at the other. He seemed to be on his phone, calmly scrolling through whatever app he was on. 

_'How can he be so calm in a situation like this?'_ George asked himself, his eyes dragging over the blond. ''Uhm... I don't... I don't think you'll be able to go home,'' George finally muttered, looking back at the door. ''I figured,'' Dream said, looking at George. ''That's alright, I'm sure ploughers will get here soon,'' Dream reassured George. ''I should be gone by tomorrow.''

_'I don't want you to leave.'_

''As long as you're okay with it, I'm okay with it,'' George said with a small smile. George looked back at Niki and gave her a small smile, relief running through his veins as she smiled back. George can understand why she's mad, she had spent almost all day out yesterday shovelling the walkway, yet mother nature had other plans. 

He gave her a half-hearted wave and gently tugged at Dream's jacket, ushering him back to the elevator. Dream looked up from his phone and pressed the button before George could get the chance. 

''I wanted to do that,'' George muttered with faint annoyance. ''You can do it next time, Georgie.'' Dream replied, flashing a smile to him.

George rolled his eyes and stepped into the elevator, quickly pressing the third-floor button. Dream scoffed and rolled his eyes dramatically, ''You're such a brat,'' He chuckled. George tensed up a little bit, sneaking a small glance at Dream, who remained smug. _'He's such an asshole.'_

''Shut up,'' George murmured, crossing his arms and turning away from Dream. 

Dream didn't say anything after that, opting to put his phone away and stare at the numbers go up one by one. The doors opened, and George made sure to bump into Dream while rushing out, glancing back to give him a sneer. Dream rolled his eyes yet again and shook his head, running a hand through his hair as he watched George shuffle up to the door.

''Where's my wreath,'' George suddenly said, staring at the blank door.

''Your wreath?'' Dream reiterated, glancing at the door with a raised brow. ''Yes, I had a wreath with a bow,'' George mumbled, looking down at the ground to see if it fell off. ''We can get you a new wreath, Georgie.'' Dream said softly, tapping George's shoulder gently. 

George sighed, staring at the spot where the wreath used to lay for a moment before opening the door. Ollie was there to greet him, giving him a soft purr. ''Hey bud,'' George murmured, petting Ollie with lithe fingers. 

Dream closed the door behind them, leaning against the wall to take his shoes off. ''I can buy you a new wreath,'' Dream said after a moment, ''If you want,'' He added. 

''Would you?'' George asked, glancing up from his shoes. ''Yeah, we can go once the snow melts.'' Dream said, running a hand through his hair. ''Okay,'' George smiled and pulled his shoes off, leaving them next to the door. 

''Do you have any coffee?'' Dream asked, walking into the kitchen.

''Uhm, probably? Check the cabinets, there might be a packet or two,'' George replied. 

George hadn't gone shopping in a while, his bare cabinets speaking thousands; He should probably go shopping soon.

''Aha!'' Dream said after a moment of looking through the cabinets, making eye contact with a singular packet of instant coffee. ''You really need some food,'' He said while pulling the coffee out, opening a different cabinet to grab a mug. ''I'm aware,'' George muttered, glancing up at Dream. ''You said you would start eating more,'' Dream retorted, looking back at George with a steely gaze. ''I know what I said, Dream,'' George said, trying to hide his tenseness with a chuckle. 

''Well, It's obvious you haven't been,'' Dream stated the obvious, taking his gaze off of George to fill his mug up. ''No shit,'' George grumbled, crossing his arms across his chest. 

''Don't get snarky,'' Dream rebuked.

George sat down with a sigh of defeat, a small pout finding its way to his features. ''Don't pout either,'' He added as he looked at George. 

''Look at me, I'm Dream! Don't pout either.'' George mocked, deepening his voice to try and poke more fun at Dream. 

Dream stilled, turning to George slowly. ''George,'' Dream said stiffly, looking at George with another steely gaze. 

George tensed up at the look, a rush of excitement running through his veins. ''Yes?'' He murmured, trying his best to keep his voice steady. 

''Shut up.''

George sucked in a sharp breath before meekly nodding, giving Dream an annoyed glare before deflating in his seat. ''Thanks,'' Dream said off-handedly, placing his mug into the microwave and punching in a minute. He turned around and leaned his back against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest while the microwave hummed. 

George glanced up at Dream with furrowed brows, his gaze dragging over the others tall stature. 

Dream stood up straight as the microwave beeped, opening it and pulling the mug out carefully. He ripped the packet open and dumped it in, watching as the water went from clear to a deep brown. 

He opened a drawer and pulled a spoon out, stirring the water before taking a sip. 

Dream took a seat at George's table, glancing at the older. ''You can speak now,'' Dream said. 

''I don't need your permission to speak,'' George grumbled while getting up, opening a cabinet and pulling out a can of cat food. 

''Then why didn't you speak that whole time?'' Dream mused smugly, not taking his eyes off of his mug. 

George didn't respond after that, a slight annoyance twitching at him. 

George cracked open the can of cat food, smiling as Ollie ran up and jumped onto the counter with excitement. George grabbed a spoon from the drawer and started to feed Ollie spoonfuls of the salmon-flavoured mush. 

It was silent for the next few minutes; Dream took his time sipping his coffee, and George took his time feeding Ollie, but their silence was interrupted by a ringtone. 

George glanced at Dream's phone as Dream picked it up, answering the facetime to reveal Wilbur. 

''Yes?'' 

''Fundy wanted to speak to you,'' Wilbur said. 

''Alright,'' Dream murmured, taking another sip of coffee as a high-pitched voice came from the phone. ''Dream!''

''Hey, buddy,'' Dream smiled, turning his phone a little bit so George could see Fundy. He reminded George of a fox. 

''Look, I'm colouring,'' Fundy said before showing a messily coloured pelican. ''I think you need to add more green,'' Dream said while looking at the picture. 

Fundy huffed and slapped the colouring book down onto the table, harshly scratching a neon green crayon over the blank parts. ''Better?'' He asked, showing Dream the pelican again. 

''Much,'' Dream responded. ''What have you and Dad been doing?'' 

''We're snowed in!'' Fundy said with excitement.

''Ah, I'm snowed in with him,'' Dream said before flipping the camera to reveal George. He nervously eyed the camera before waving, a smile on his features. 

''Wait a minute,'' Wilbur said suddenly, ''Isn't that your hoodie?'' He asked. 

George felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment. 

He put the spoon down and shuffled away from the camera, throwing the empty can into the trash before turning and walking away, a small smile on his features as he heard Dream wheezing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in case you aren't following my twitter, which you totally should, cloud 9 will be getting a sequel! i hope you guys don't kill me for the ending im giving this, but the second book will focus on georges mental health/dreams mental health, getting better, etc. (:
> 
> this chapter was beta-read by [Myuuwi](https://twitter.com/Myuuwi), they are my second beta-reader for when spaz is asleep and i'm being sporadic and wanna upload- (:  
> my twitter is [M00BL00M_AO3_](https://twitter.com/M00BL00M_AO3_), i mostly use it to interact with others, but i also post updates about the chapters and sometimes theres sneak peaks? (:<
> 
> * no fun fact again by brain is srsly rotted
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	20. Cool With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> large chapter about what happened while they were snowed in (:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (reupload because ao3 wants me to fail in life)

George wasn't entirely sure what being snowed in with Dream would be like; If he were to be honest, he would've expected it to be awkward. 

It wasn't awkward though, they had fallen into a domestic dynamic without realising it. Dream had already made George breakfast and lunch and was in the process of making him dinner.

To be fair, George should start eating more often, and he was thankful that Dream was there to remind him. It never really crossed his mind, considering he was in a constant haze. 

George wasn't sure how they had fallen into their dynamic now that he thought about it.

It had started with Dream cooking for George, but it grew into Dream writing him sticky notes with encouraging words, and then being carried to bed after falling asleep while they had been watching a movie together. 

George hadn't said anything about it, because he didn't want it to stop. He enjoyed the attention to no end. And at times, he was concerned that he’d enjoyed it a bit too much. Was there really 'too much' though? George wasn't sure. 

Maybe there was, and that there was a chance he was crossing the line entirely, but he was never one to follow the rules to a tee. 

George trusted Dream to take care of his hopeless romantic heart, even if Dream was unaware of its existence. 

He wasn't sure what he would do if Dream was aware of his heavy heart. The heart that had eyes for him, and only him it seemed. George couldn't find another person that made his heart race as Dream does, he could never hear the blood roaring in his ears when glancing at others on the streets. He could never find someone who made his hands as sweaty as Dream does or someone who could make his eyes full-blown and love-filled. 

No one could match up to Dream, George thought.

That or George's conscious made Dream seem better than he actually is, love could be blinding him, and he wouldn't find out till after the fact.

That was far from the truth, though. Right?

George wanted to believe so. 

Deep down, George knew everything would be alright, but his outer self, the more incoherent one, screamed at him to get away from Dream; Run as far away as his feet could take him. To leave this town and never look back. George was tired of trying to convince himself that Dream was good, so he stopped. He just let everything happen. It was up to fate, whether Dream decided to wrong him or not. 

George knew that one way or another, he would end up hurt. 

His thoughts were stopped as a loud crash came from the kitchen, a muffled 'shit,' being yelped. George glanced up from his palms and peered into the kitchen, vaguely seeing Dream's shadow scurrying around. _'How long had he been in there? Does cooking usually take that long?'_ George thought, his eyebrows furrowing. 

Actually, George didn't know what he was making. 

George leaned over the back of the couch, trying to get a better look into the kitchen. The house smelled of fresh veggies and butter, a hint of spice poking its head out. 

The sound of water boiling could be heard through the sizzling of the veggies, raising his interest. George looked at his stomach as it grumbled, a frown appearing on his face as he rubbed it gently. 

It turns out when you eat regularly, your body starts to crave food. 

George sighed and stood up, stumbling a little bit before standing up straight. George started to walk towards the kitchen, stopping in his tracks as he heard Dream singing softly. It was barely audible, and if you weren't listening closely, you wouldn't catch it. 

''I've been so many places, in my life and time,'' Dream sang while stirring the veggies. ''I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhymes...'' Dream trailed off, starting to hum the rest of the song. 

George listened with fondness, a small smile replacing his frown. 

''Cause my love is in there... hiding,'' Dream started again, opening the fridge. ''I love you in a place, where there's no special time...'' 

''I love you for my life.''

The words wrapped around George's head like a ribbon; His heart began to race, his eyes opened fully, and he swayed slightly. He didn't even realise how fast his heart was going until he got into the doorway of the kitchen, watching Dream stirring noodles into the veggies.

 _'Maybe I should sneak up on him,'_ He thought, grabbing onto the doorframe to steady himself. 

George looked Dream up and down before pushing himself straight, fingers hovering an inch over the wall just in case. He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart and stalked forward, stepping onto the heels of his feet to soften his steps. 

Dream was still stirring, humming another song.

George reached his hands out as he got closer, watching as they began to shake from their tenseness. He wasn't sure why this was so nerve wracking; He had snuck up on plenty of people before with no issue.

George took a quiet breath in as he stood right behind Dream, glancing up at his shoulder blades. 

In a quick swoop, George wrapped his arms around Dream's waist and laid flush against his back, a burst of laughter shaking him to his core as Dream screamed. 

''George! What the fuck,'' Dream yelled while whipping around, causing George to lose his grip and stand up straight. George looked up nervously, a sheepish smile on his face. ''You have three seconds to run,'' Dream grumbled while turning around and shutting the stove off. ''What?'' George cocked his head to the side.

''Three,''

''Dream, what do you me-''

''Two,''

''Dream?''

''One.''

A sudden rush ran through George, his feet quickly dragged him out of the kitchen at full speed while Dream followed closely behind him. 

Energy zapped through George's hands and feet as he turned a corner, barreling down the hallway.

''George, come here!'' Dream yelled with a smile, a sudden flush covering George’s body. He ran into his room, quickly shutting the door to slow Dream down. He dove under his bed, quickly curling up into himself as Dream slammed the door open to the room. 

Dream's footsteps faltered, coming to a stop. 

''Oh, George,'' Dream called out, a smile heard clear as day. George tensed up as Dream stalked over to the bed, fear filling his body as Dream's hand appeared out of nowhere and started to search for him.

He shuffled backwards, his breathing picking up significantly as Dream's hand stopped in its place. 

''Georgie, are you under here?'' Dream asked quietly, his voice gravelly.

George held his breath as Dream got to his knees.  
  
It was tense for a moment, Dream just stood there. George took this time to catch his breath, closing his eyes for a moment.

George’s eyes fluttered open, a shrill scream leaving him as he met Dream face to face. He quickly scrambled out from under the bed as Dream dove under, stumbling onto his feet and running out, almost hitting his shoulder on the doorframe.

George glanced behind him to see Dream on his tail.

‘’Leave me alone!’’ He shrieked, turning into the living room and hiding behind the couch.

‘’Why would I do that?’’ Dream asked, leaning onto the doorframe with a heaving chest. ‘’Georgie, just admit defeat,’’ Dream grumbled while scanning the room.

George peaked his head over the couch, staring at Dream’s taut figure with an unsure gaze. How bad would it be to admit defeat?

No, he didn’t want to feed Dream’s ego.

‘’Fuck off,’’ George murmured under his breath. ‘’What was that?’’ Dream asked, creeping towards the couch. George slapped his head over his mouth, trying to curb his heavy breathing as Dream got closer, and closer.

‘’George..’’ Dream murmured, a shock running down George’s spine at how close he had gotten.

It was quiet for a moment, eerily so, until Dream wrapped his arms around George’s shoulders.

George screamed, the thrill of the run suddenly gone, now replaced with fear. ‘’Let me go!’’ He yelled, attempting to thrash around. ‘’Just admit that you've lost, George.’’ Dream said in his ear, stopping George’s thrashing.

George inhaled shakily, glaring at Dream.

‘’Fine,’’ George mumbled and went limp.

‘’Good boy,’’ Dream said with a smirk before dropping George on the ground. ‘’What the hell was that?’’ George muttered, looking at Dream with a quizzed look.

‘’A thrilling chase,’’ Dream said while leaving the living room, going back into the kitchen

* * *

  
  


Dream ran his hands down Ollie's spine, making eye contact with the grey tabby. ''You remind me of Patches,'' He mumbled, scratching behind Ollie's ear. Ollie leaned into the touch, purring quietly, basking in the attention. 

''You would get along with her, right?'' Dream said with a smile, leaning back into the couch a bit. ''I would hope so,'' He said after a moment, bringing his other hand up to rub the other side of Ollie's face. 

Dream thought about how nice it was to, momentarily, live with George. How he loved to write George stupid little notes and place them around in hopes of George finding them, how he loved cooking for George, and how he loved carrying George to his bed after he fell asleep in the middle of a movie. 

Dream loved the dynamic and viewing himself as the caring figure of their friendship. 

It was clear George was loving it as well, even if he didn't say it. George seemed to think he wasn't easy to read, and maybe he wasn't to others, but Dream found himself reading George like a book. A book he enjoyed to no end. 

Dream felt he wasn't enjoying it enough though, he was afraid it would end abruptly.

Dream shook his head softly and continued to pet Ollie, forcing the frown off of his face. Maybe Dream was feeling love, a continuous loop of it.

The thought made Dream anxious, to say the least. 

He had commitment issues, and it wasn't his fault. He just never got around to trying to fix them, considering he'd spent the last four years stuck in prison. 

Prison therapists weren't exactly helpful, either. They threw a half-filled solution at him and told him to work with it, and it never worked. He was still untreated for a multitude of things. 

Some things he could deal with on his own, like his insomnia, but other things, like his anxiety, became nearly impossible. It was a constant ache in his chest, relentlessly forcing him into a complicated mindset. But when he's with George, his symptoms tend to lessen.

Albeit, George wasn't the solution to all his problems. As much as Dream wished he was, it wasn't healthy to rely on others to such a degree. 

He didn't want a repeat of his early relationship with Sapnap. The thought made him shudder, a wave of disgust curling around him. The memories were painful, to say the least. 

He couldn't help but zone out as he thought about them. The screaming and tears still fresh in his mind, a sense of hurt living with him continuously. The night he was arrested would probably haunt him for the rest of his life, he'd bet money on it. 

It was vivid; The half-hearted insults, the screaming in the court, but something he could never forget was the blotchy, tear-streaked face of his little sister. 

It was heartbreaking just to think about. Dream never wanted to hurt her, it was the last thing he wanted to do, yet he still failed. A constant reminder of how badly he fucked up. 

Ollie pawed at his still hand, looking up at him expectantly. Dream shook his head of its fog, going back to petting the cat. ''I'm sure Patches would love you,'' He murmured, trying his best to keep himself stable. 

''She's very friendly,'' He added with a smile.

''I think you guys would get along,'' He whispered.

A stifled giggle could be heard, causing Dream to look up. He was met with a phone camera and a giggling George. 

Dream looked between the phone and George before finally settling on George, who quickly pressed the phone's screen. The telltale noise of the video stopping its recording could be heard, causing Dream to give George a glare.

''Were you recording me?'' Dream asked, sighing as George giggled again and ran down the hall. 

Dream gently tapped Ollie, who hopped off of his lap, so he could get up. A groan leaving him as his stiff muscles were put to work. ''What a brat,'' He mumbled under his breath while walking into the hallway, seeing that George's door was closed. 

Dream jiggled the door handle, frustration filling him as he refused to open. ''Did you seriously lock the door?''

''Yep!'' George laughed from the other side, his back against the door. 

Dream put his back to the door and slid down, his elbows resting on his knees as he sat down.

''Open the door, Georgie,'' He said in the sweetest tone he could muster. ''Nope,'' George replied tautly. 

''Why not?'' 

''Because you're a loser, and you're gonna make me delete the video.''

''Oh, so you admit that you were recording me,'' Dream said with a smile, rolling his eyes. 

''Yeah,'' George replied sheepishly.

''If I promise to not delete the video, will you let me in?'' Dream asked, turning his head to look at the door.

''Maybe.''

''What else do I gotta do?'' Dream asked again, turning his gaze to the bathroom door. ''Watch the video with me?'' George said, his tone unsure.

Dream thought about it for a moment before smiling, shaking his head at the stupidity of this situation. ''Yeah, sure,'' He muttered.

Dream heard shuffling from the other end before the lock clicked and the door opened, causing him to fall flat against the ground. ''Oh, hi!'' George said with a smile.

''Hi,'' Dream rolled his eyes while pushing himself up, crawling into the room and sitting back down. George plopped himself next to Dream and unlocked his phone, leaning his head on Dream's shoulder while the video played.

The video was just Dream talking to Ollie and petting him, babbling about Patches. 

''That's so stupid,'' Dream laughed once the video ended, running his hands over his face. ''Why do you need it?'' 

''Keeps sake,'' George replied with a smile.

* * *

  
  
  


The sounds of swords hitting each other were the least of George's worries, not with how focused he was on the blond next to him.

George kept sneaking glances at the other, relishing in his beauty. It felt odd to call Dream pretty, and he was sure he could find other words to use, but pretty seemed to fit the best.

It could've been the way Dream's eyelashes framed his eyes perfectly, or how his freckles reminded George of constellations, it might've even been the way Dream rambled on about his interests.

All George knew was that he loved it. 

George kept thinking about it in the darkness of his room, coming to a steady conclusion that he was in love with Dream.

It was a weird thing to come to terms with, that you were in love with someone you just met a few weeks ago. But the label felt right, and it proved that it was right whenever he looked at Dream. 

Being stuck in a house with Dream was exhausting, not because he was annoying, but because he couldn't exclaim his love for the blond. He had no outlet and was left to talk to himself about Dream.

He was almost positive that Sapnap wouldn't care, and Hannah had become distant as of recent.

George tore his gaze away from Dream, glancing at the TV to see the main characters curled together, wrapped in each other's embrace and kissing.

George wanted to kiss Dream.

Previously, George would've facepalmed at the thought, but it seemed so appealing. 

George wanted Dream to run his fingers through his hair, giving him gentle pecks while telling him how much he loved George. He wanted Dream to hold him while they drifted to sleep together. 

George looked back at Dream, staring at his lips with fondness. 

He traced Dream's jawline, focusing on the scar that cut right below his lower lip. He wanted to kiss all of Dream's marks and tell Dream how beautiful he is; He wanted Dream to realise his beauty in the full picture. 

George was pretty whipped, he will admit.

Instead of forcing his love down, however, he embraced it. If he had the chance, he would let Dream know of his thoughts. 

Dream glanced over, making eye contact with George, who's eyes widened like saucers. ''I'm just that gorgeous, huh?'' Dream joked, a small chuckle ending his sentence. 

''Yeah,'' George blurted out.

It went quiet between them, the song for the movie credits could be heard loud and clear. 

''What?'' Dream murmured, cocking his head to the side with a smile. George tensed up, keeping the eye contact with Dream. ''I... Uhm,'' George stammered, trying to collect his thoughts. ''You're gorgeous,'' George admitted after a moment, not bothering to calm his racing heart. 

''Oo, am I?'' Dream asked, his smirk growing at George's flushed features. 

''Yeah,'' George repeated.

Dream chuckled, shifting onto his knees and putting his legs under him to stare at George better. ''Why's that?'' He whispered, getting a bit closer.

George smiled a little, the heat in his face only growing. 

''Well... Your smile is always bright,'' George started, breaking eye contact to look at Dream's outstretched lips. ''And... Your eyelashes frame your eyes really nicely,'' He said under his breath, going back to Dream's eyes. ''Your eyes are always so bright,'' He mumbled, glancing at Dream's hand as it raised and rested itself on his cheek. George leaned into the touch, his smile growing a bit. 

''George?'' Dream mumbled.

''Yeah?''

''Can I kiss you?'' Dream asked softly, staring at George with half-lidded eyes.

''...Yeah,'' He mumbled in response, his eyes fluttering closed as Dream leaned in, connecting their lips. 

Books always described kisses as a booming firework, setting sparks along your skin, but to George, it was a comfortable heat spreading through his body.

It trickled across his face, trailing down to his chest with an explosion before shooting down his arms and legs. 

George leaned into the kiss after a second, recovering from the initial shock. Dream's hand wrapped around his head, resting in his hair, while the other held his jawline. The two leaned into each other, smirks spreading across their connected lips.

Reluctantly, they pulled apart, resting their foreheads against each other.

The atmosphere around them was comfortable, their energies mingling together perfectly. 

''Was that everything you hoped for?'' Dream whispered, searching George's features. ''Yeah,'' George replied quickly, his smile growing. 

''I think you're beautiful too,'' Dream said.

George wrapped his arms around Dream, moving his head to rest against Dream's chest as he pushed him onto the couch with a 'huff'.

Dream wrapped his right arm around George's torso, using his left hand to run his fingers through his hair. George closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

''Thank you.''

* * *

  
  


George's eyes rested on Dreams, sitting in comfortable silence while eating his food. 

The morning had been well so far, despite the little words they had shared. It started with George waking up in Dream's arm, his arms wrapped around the blond's torso. It continued to Dream cooking them both breakfast once again, and then stopped in the present, where they stared at each other and ate. 

It was weird to an outside perspective, but it was perfect for them. 

''What did the kiss mean to you, George?'' Dream mumbled, breaking the silence. George's eyebrows pinched together, a small frown on his features. Now was his chance to spill everything, all of the thoughts he's had over the last week.

''I don't know,'' He stupidly blurted, almost slapping himself. ''What did it mean to you?'' He asked.

''I don't know either,'' Dream replied, picking up his piece of toast and taking a bite. 

''Did you enjoy it?'' George asked, staring at Dream with hope.

''Yeah...'' Dream trailed off, connecting their eyes for a brief second before breaking the contact. Well, that was hopeful. 

George went quiet for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. George wasn't ready for anything, no matter how much he told himself he was. 

And there was still a thought in the back of his mind that told him Dream was using him. Whether it be for money, or his body now, he wasn't sure. And he doubted that it was the truth, but his trust was ripped apart as quickly as it was put together.

''I don't think we need to do anything about it,'' George finally said, trying to hide his shaky tone. He saw a flash of hurt in Dream's eyes before they went back to their normal state, glancing at him.

''Okay,'' Dream replied.

The previously comfortable atmosphere became thick with tension, George's emotions running rampant. He could've told Dream that he loved him. 

_He fucked up._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!! long time no see- moving has been hella stressful and i haven't had a lot of time to write, but i pushed through and got this chapter out. i really hope you enjoy it, even though it isnt the best.
> 
> edit because i forgot to mention it, i finally made the playlist! it has all of the current chapters + their songs, and future chapters + their songs;  
> [click here for playlist!!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gc9m8DyZGZ62YcIEk0b1N?si=KinE9Z2FRZm7ykO7j7hmDA)  
> the sequel will also be getting a playlist !! (::
> 
> this chapter was beta read by; [Spazuko](https://twitter.com/spazuko), you should give them a follow (: they post totally poggers art!!  
> my twitter is [M00BL00M_AO3_](https://twitter.com/M00BL00M_AO3_), you should follow it !! i post updates regarding chapters, and i love to interact with you guys (:
> 
> a special mention is for [Mintto](https://twitter.com/mintto__), he did the very first piece of fanart for this fic and it's amazing!!! check it out, and maybe drop a follow for him! he deserves it.  
> [click here for fanart!](https://twitter.com/mintto__/status/1343603446881071106)
> 
> fun fact #16 (YES THEY'RE BACK!!); this fic, and all of its readers, mean the fucking world to me. i love each and every one of you so much. you make my life so much better, even if you don't realise it (:  
> (psst, chai, if ur reading this; ur cool (:< thanks for feeding my ego)
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	21. Teenage Dirtbag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dream gets drugs and then george uses drugs lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **content warning for implied drug addiction and MDMA use**  
>  upon making this chapter, i felt that this note was needed;
> 
> this fic is not meant to romanticise drugs, whatsoever.
> 
> i do not encourage the use of drugs. i am simply using it as a subject for creative writing. and while doing so, i'm trying to make it as realistic as possible.
> 
> if you are going to try anything, please do it as safely as you can. you can never be 100%, of course, but there are plenty of precautions.  
> on that note, please enjoy the chapter (:

Two weeks had passed since the snow had melted, and Dream had been freed from George's apartment.

Two weeks since they had kissed, two weeks since George told Dream that they shouldn't do anything about it, two weeks since Dream wanted to confess.

Two long weeks that had left Dream in a constant state of aching want.

Despite all of Dream's feelings, their conversations remained normal, there was no strain on their friendship, and they didn't talk about the kiss. That doesn't mean Dream didn't think about it daily though. It seemed to be the only thing he could think about clearly; Everything else was a blur to him.

It was just George.

Over the last two weeks, Dream came to a steady conclusion. He was in love with George.

In retrospect, it was pretty obvious. 

A constant racing heart, sweaty hands, beady eyes, and an overwhelming sense of protectiveness; It was painfully obvious.

He could only hope that George felt the same way; Dream always saw how George fidgeted around him, how he stammered and how a constant flush on his face whenever he was around Dream.

Dream didn't miss the hurt that flashed in George's eyes when he told Dream to not worry about the kiss. 

Maybe they were both blind.

Dream wishes he could tell George how much he loves him.

Maybe he could, one day. Laying in bed with him, running his fingers through George's hair, planting little kisses onto his forehead, all the while picking out all of George's perfections and describing them to him in as much detail as possible.

He was lovesick.

On top of wanting to care for George, though, there was a small pool of anxiety. That he wouldn't be a good partner, and that he couldn't take care of George. His coherent self called nonsense of course.

But after what happened when he was younger, he was pushed too far, far too young; He wasn't exactly one to listen to himself. Even when it came to his deepest desires.

Even when he desperately wanted to talk to George about the kiss.

Dream shook his head, running a hand through his damp hair as he walked down the block, rain beating against his jacket harshly. It had been raining all day, the grey skies were never ending, but that didn't mean he should put off getting more stock.

Due to the snow-in, Dream had lost a lot of profit, meaning he had to haul ass just to get it back.

Typically he would be pretty upset about the money he had lost, but he got to hang out with George, which made up for it indefinitely. To see George's smile made up for everything.

Dream felt a smile creep onto his features, his thoughts drifting back to the kiss. Soft lips against his clouded his coherent thoughts, masking them and keeping them quiet. 

Dream sighed, lifting his head to see his destination. It was a bakery, a simple label of 'Ponk's Pastries' settled on the front. It was inconspicuous to outsiders, no one would know that there were hundreds of pounds of various illegal substances. The first time Dream came here to get new stock, he was confused, to say the least. 

Dream opened the door, glancing up at the bell as it jingled.

''Be with you in just a minute!'' Punz yelled, Dream wincing as a loud crash came after. ''You sure?'' Dream asked, his smile evident in his voice. ''Shut up,'' He heard Punz grumble, another crash sounding.

A few seconds later, a dishevelled Punz stumbled out, grasping onto the door frame with a laboured breath. ''Hi,'' He mumbled before taking a deep breath, standing up straight. ''Jeez, what happened?'' Dream asked while walking into the back room, eyes widening to see a pile of pastries sitting on the ground.   
  
‘’Ponk sucks,’’ Punz said simply, his lips in a tight purse.   
  
‘’Well, I don’t know about that…’’ Dream trailed off, glancing at Punz with a raised brow. ‘’Do you need help?’’ He asked after a moment, watching as the other stared at the pastries tensely.    
  
‘’Yes,’’ Punz mumbled.   
  
Dream leaned down and started picking up the pastries, putting them in a plastic bag that Punz handed him. He grimaced at the stickiness that began to build on his fingers, a shiver running up his spine.   
  
Dream put the bag down, holding his sugar-coated hand away from himself as he walked into the kitchen. Heat blared around him, warming his damp figure, as he turned the tap on. He turned it off and rinsed his hands off, grumbling to himself about the gross texture.   
  
‘’Dream?’’    
  
Dream turned around and met eyes with Ponk, who instantly smiled. ‘’Hey! Long time no see,’’ He said while walking up to Dream, giving him a quick hug. Dream returned the hug, giving the other a small pat on the back while pulling away. ‘’Yeah, the snow-in didn’t do well for business, so I gotta start selling more. What do you have in stock?’’ Dream asked with a tilted head, rubbing his thumb over his own knuckles.   
  
‘’Oh, plenty of stuff, follow me,’’ Ponk said with a cheery tone, leading him to a room just outside the kitchen.    
  
It was well-lit. It resembled closely to a warehouse but on a smaller scale and with large shelves. Dark blue packages rested on the shelving with vague labels, mostly initials. Dream could see a few people shoving more dark blue parcels around in the background, their chatter mostly mute.   
  
‘’You got a slight upgrade,’’ Dream said while looking around.   
  
‘’We started working with Schlatt,’’ Ponk provided. Dream looked at him with wide eyes, his mouth becoming dry. ‘’Sch- Schlatt, as in, JSchlatt?’’ He mumbled, his eyebrows furrowing.   
  
‘’Yes, why is that such a shocker?’’   
  
‘’I, uh, well… I’m not sure,’’ Dream said, averting his gaze to the floor. ‘’Dream, you’re on the run to becoming a big timer. I’ve tried to ask you to work here multiple times, under our roof, but you keep refusing.’’ Ponk said pointedly, raising a pointed finger at Dream.   
  
‘’To be completely honest, it’s because I'm scared.’’    
  
‘’Why are you scared? You’d be safer under our roof than under no roof,’’ Ponk said. ‘’Yeah, I know, but… You know what happened last time,’’ Dream mumbled, wincing at the thought.   
  
‘’Okay, well, the people you were working with sucked, and they weren’t careful. We both know this.’’   
  
‘’Listen, can I just get my stock? I don’t wanna talk about this anymore,’’ Dream said abruptly, looking at Ponk with a pleading gaze. Ponk’s eyes softened, a huff leaving him as he turned around.    
  
‘’We got a new shipment of Xan’s in, I know those are pretty popular in your area…’’ Ponk trailed off, glancing at the shelves. ‘’What did you have in mind? Same as usual?’’ He asked.   
  
‘’Yeah, I don’t wanna start selling new shit this season,’’ Dream said.   
  
‘’Alright, I’ll be right back,’’ Ponk said while going into the back of the room, a few hushed voices being heard.

Dream tapped his foot against the concrete, the noise comforting him in the otherwise quiet room.   
  
His thoughts trailed back to his prison sentence, a frown crossing his features. He remembered how disappointed his mother was, grumbling slander against his father.   
  
That was the first night he truly experienced anguish.    
  
‘’It should be there by tomorrow morning, normal payment,’’ Ponk said while walking back in, rubbing his hands together. Dream reached inside his jacket pocket, grabbing an envelope and handing it to Ponk.    
  
Ponk ripped it open, quickly counting the money before patting him on the back. ‘’Knew I could count on you,’’ He said with a smile. ‘’Would you be interested in a pastry?’’ Ponk asked, leading him back into the kitchen.    
  
‘’Sure,’’ Dream said.   
  
Ponk led him back to the front, letting him stand in front of the counter. ‘’What were you thinking?’’    
  
‘’You can pick, I’m not in the mood for anything in particular.’’   
  
Ponk slipped a pair of gloves on, grabbing a pair of tongs while opening the pastry case, taking out a bear claw. He grabbed a bag and shook it open, placing the pastry in the bag and rolling it up tightly. ‘’I remember you saying you liked them,’’ Ponk said while handing him the bag. ‘’On the house,’’ Ponk added with a smile.   
  
‘’Thanks,’’ Dream said, returning the smile. ‘’I’ll see you later,’’ Dream said while turning around. ‘’Bye Punz!’’ He yelled while opening the door, hearing a faint ‘bye!’ as he shut it.   
  
Dream put the bag in his pocket and glanced around, settling on the sunset for a moment. Deep colours of auburn with slivers of blue and yellow filled the sky, a thin line of dark blue settling at the bottom, ready to come up and bring night upon the city.  
  
And, as much as he wanted to go home and sleep, he had to do a dealing with Wilbur.  
  
Wilbur had been going through what he bought alarmingly quick. Dream was going to have to cut him off; It was now or never. He didn’t want to see Wilbur suffer more than he already probably is.  
  
That was, arguably, the hardest part of being a dealer.  
  
He knew the hardships of the job inside and out, having dealt with ex-addicts. It just sucks to see your friend, out of all people, being the addict.  
  
Dream sighed and pulled his phone out while walking, opening Wilbur’s contact.  
  
**Dream, 5:32PM**  
_‘We still on?’_  
  
**Wilbur S, 5:32PM**  
_‘Yep!’_  
  
Simple enough.  
  
Dream took his time getting over to Wilbur, thinking about the moral side of giving someone he suspected of being an addict more of their fill.  
  
He was on the fence, and wondered if he should cancel the plans with Wilbur. Another sigh fell from his lips, a constant frown ghosting on his features as he walked through the slushy remnants of the snow.  
  
The streets were eerily quiet, with a lack of aggressive honking of cars, the crying of babies, and faint yelling.  
  
Surprisingly, no one really wanted to be out after a snow-in. Dream would have assumed the streets would be packed, with hundreds of people excited to finally get out of their houses.  
  
It was quiet.  
  
In the quiet, Dream’s thoughts drove back to George. Dream had sent his daily good morning text, but he hadn’t gotten a response. Perhaps George had gotten fed up with him. It was kind of far fetched, but it wasn’t totally impossible.  
  
Dream opened George’s contact with a shaking hand, his eyes narrowing at the message George had sent. He must’ve missed it.   
  
**Gogy, 3:53PM  
** _ ‘call me when u get the chanceeee pls (:’’   
_   
It took Dream some self-restraint to not call George right then and there, he needed to get to Wilbur before he did anything else.   
  
Dream glanced up at the signs that reside on the edge of the side-walk, taking a soft turn down the street. He could see Wilbur’s tall figure, albeit slightly hunched over in the distance.   
  
Dream walked up to Wilbur, who looked at him with half-lidded eyes. ‘’Hey, Wil,’’ Dream greeted with a smile, relieved when Wilbur returned the smile.   
  
‘’Hey,’’ Wilbur replied, his voice hoarse.   
  
‘’You okay?’’ Dream asked, looking over Wilbur’s messy appearance. His eyebags had grown significantly, hair more ruffed up than usual, lips slightly parted and chapped. He didn’t look good.   
  
‘’Yea.’’

Dream’s face scrunched up, an ache settling in his stomach as he looked at his friend.   
  
‘’After this, I’m gonna need to cut you off,’’ Dream said suddenly.   
  
Wilbur went rigid, his hands beginning to shake from their tenseness. ‘’What?’’ He mumbled, making eye contact with Dream. ‘’I said I’m gonna need to cut you off,’’ Dream repeated, holding his gaze with Wilbur, who’s breathing began to speed up.   
  
Wilbur raised from his hunched over position, causing Dream to stand back with caution. ‘’Man, you can’t just do that,’’ Wilbur grumbled, ‘’Please.’’   
  
‘’I’m sorry, but I won’t be the one supplying you this shit if it’s turning into an addiction,’’ Dream said, his voice stern.   
  
‘’Why are you suggesting I’m an addict?’’ Wilbur asked, his eyes wide and glossy with frustration.   
  
‘’Wilbur, you look terrible, and you wouldn’t put up this much of a fight if you aren’t.’’ Dream said, the ache in his stomach only growing more as Wilbur sighed with anger. ‘’How many years have you known me, Dream?’’ Wilbur muttered.   
  
‘’Twelve years.’’   
  
‘’Twelve years! You should  _ know _ this isn’t destroying me, right? Yeah?’’ Wilbur’s voice grew in volume as well as desperation.   
  
‘’I’ve dealt with addicts before, Wil. I’m not stupid,’’ Dream grumbled, staring at the other with an unamused expression.   
  
‘’Dream, please,’’ Wilbur began to plead.   
  
‘’Don’t beg me for it, this is the last time you’ll be seeing me for this shit.’’   
  
‘’Dream, don’t do this, come on…’’ Wilbur began to tear up, beyond frustrated at this point. ‘’C’mon!’’   
  
Dream stared at Wilbur’s raggedly breathing chest, a sigh leaving him. ‘’Forget it,’’ Dream said while shaking his head, turning around.   
  
‘’Dream?’’ Wilbur called out, his voice becoming quiet and meek. ‘’Dream? Please.’’   
  
Dream didn’t respond, he just kept walking, his eyebrows furrowed with his hands in his pockets.   
  
‘’Fuck you! You fucking cunt, fuck you!’’ Wilbur bellowed, causing Dream to stop in his tracks. ‘’Fuck you. I fucking hate you, you’re ruining my fucking life!’’ He cried out, pulling at his jacket angrily.   
  
Dream frowned at Wilbur’s yells, taking a deep breath in.   
  
‘’You’re a fucking asshole,’’ Wilbur screamed one more time before turning around and walking away, his erratic breathing audible for a few seconds more before it went out of ear shot.   
  
Dream brought his hands to his face, rubbing his temples gently. He knew Wilbur didn’t mean any of what he said, most addicts didn’t, but it still hurts. With a sour mood, he began to walk home.   
  
After a few minutes of silent walking, Dream pulled his phone out, opening George’s contact. He pressed the call button and brought it up to his ear, the ringing dial almost comforting.   
  
‘’Hello!’’ George beamed, a soft smile ghosting on Dream’s face. ‘’Hey, what’s up?’’ Dream asked, glancing down at his shoes.   
  
‘’I wanna try molly.’’ Dream’s eyes widened, a sense of shock filling him. ‘’What?’’   
  
‘’I wanna try molly,’’ George reiterated.   
  
‘’This is… out of the blue,’’ Dream trailed off, his steps faltering before picking back up. ‘’Are you sure?’’   
  
‘’Of course I’m sure, I wouldn’t be calling you if I wasn’t,’’ George said.   
  
‘’You are aware of what it does, right?’’ Maybe it was a stupid question, but Dream wanted to make sure that George was ready.   
  
‘’Yes, but you can refresh me if it’ll make you feel better.’’   
  
‘’Let me get home and I’ll pick you up, okay?’’   
  
‘’Okay, bye!’’   
  
‘’Bye.’’   
  
The call ended, and Dream began to speed up, excited to see George. Although, he was nervous. He could’ve told George no, and he was sure George would listen if he was stern enough, but he didn’t want to shelter George; Dream wasn’t his guardian.   
  
Dream looked up, seeing his house in the distance.    
  
He broke into a run, trying not to fall as he slid through the slush. He jumped onto the steps, grabbing his keys out of his pocket. He unlocked the door after steadying himself, opening it to see Patches patiently sitting.   
  
‘’Hey pretty girl,’’ He cooed with a smile. ‘’You’re gonna meet George today,’’ He murmured while putting his keys on the shoe rack.   
  
Patches meowed, her ears twitching as she got up and rubbed her face against Dream’s leg. ‘’Are you excited?’’ He asked quietly, leaning down and running his hands over her head, scratching behind her ear gently.   
  
‘’Good girl,’’ He smiled.   
  
Dream straightened himself out, making his way through the living room, glancing over and grimacing at the mess. Dream wasn’t the cleanest person in the world, but he tried. He knew that George liked to keep things tidy and would probably kill Dream if he saw his house in such a state.   
  
After a few seconds of reassurance, Dream started to pick up pillows and blankets that were thrown around, moving onto dirty cups and plates after. He turned his TV on, flicking through the channels before deciding on a random one.   
  
Once he deemed his living room clean enough, he made his way into the kitchen, relieved to see that it remained clean.   
  
Dream did a once over through the whole house, rearranging things that needed it, and landing himself in front of the door again.   
  
‘’Okay…’’ He trailed off, looking everything over once more before grabbing his keys. ‘’I’ll be back,’’ He mumbled to Patches, who sat in front of him with large, doe eyes.

  
He turned around and opened the door, a rush of ice cold wind hitting him. He winced while locking the door behind him, pulling his jacket closer to himself while walking down the stairs.   
  
He pressed the unlock button on his keys, his car beeping obnoxiously as he approached it. He pulled open the drivers’ side door, taking a seat with a huff. He closed the door and stuck the key in the ignition, turning it and patting the dashboard as it roared to life.   
  
He turned on the heat and took the car out of park, pulling out of his driveway and on his way to George’s apartment building.  
  


* * *

  
  
After a ten minute drive, Dream pulled up to George’s building, the corner of his mouth slid slightly upwards as he made eye contact with a red-nosed George. He was wearing a puffy black down jacket with Dream’s hoodie underneath, a pair of black gloves settling underneath the sweater paws.   
  
Dream put the car into park, rolling his window down. ‘’Hey stranger,’’ He said with a smirk. George smiled, ‘’Hey.’’   
  
‘’You ready to go?’’ Dream asked, running his gaze along George’s figure.   
  
‘’Yeah,’’ George replied, carefully walking over to the other side of the car. He opened the door and slid in, looking at Dream with a beaming smile. ‘’You seem chipper,’’ Dream said, his gaze turning to the road reluctantly.   
  
‘’I am!’’   
  
‘’Why’s that?’’ Dream asked while taking the car out of park, twisting his body around to glance behind the car. ‘’I’m gonna be experiencing something new,’’ George said while looking forward, taking a few shy glances at Dream as he straightened himself out and pulled out of the parking space.   
  
‘’So you’ve never taken MDMA,’’ Dream mumbled, his eyes gazing over the dark, empty streets.   
  
‘’No.’’   
  
‘’I’m gonna go over what’s gonna happen to keep me and you safe, alright?’’ Dream glanced over at George, who nodded with a smile.   
  
‘’Okay.’’   
  
‘’We aren’t gonna be leaving my house, for starters,’’ Dream said, turning on his right turn signal. ‘’I figured,’’ George giggled.   
  
‘’If you want anything to eat or drink, you need to tell me. Have you eaten today?’’   
  
‘’I haven’t,’’ George grumbled.   
  
‘’Okay, I’ll make you something when we get to my house, no worries.’’ Dream reassured George, gripping the steering wheel a bit harder.   
  
‘’You’re going to get very touchy-feely, I have a few textures I know feel good when rolling, so I’ll give them to you,’’ Dream started, peering over and taking a turn. ‘’But, you are free to hug and touch me. If you go too far, I’ll walk away.’’   
  
George’s face heated up, a sheepish smile replacing his confident one, ‘’Alright.’’   
  
‘’If you start feeling bad mentally, or physically, you need to tell me; This includes the morning after.’’   
  
‘’Alright!’’ George said with a smile, jittering with excitement as Dream pulled into his driveway.   
  
Once the car came to a stop, George was the first one out, his face showing his excitement as he stared at the house. ‘’Your house is really nice,’’ George said as Dream got out of the car. ‘’Thank you,’’ Dream murmured with a grin.   
  
George followed Dream as he walked up the stairs, pulling his key out and putting it in, unlocking and opening the door to reveal Patches.   
  
‘’Oh my gosh, is that her?’’ George whispered, looking up at Dream. ‘’Yes, c’mere pretty girl,’’ Dream got down to his knees, cooing at her to come over. She looked at George unsurely before sauntering up to Dream’s hand, shoving her face into it.   
  
‘’She’s so cute,’’ George cooed, also getting to his knees and holding his hand out. She stretched her neck out, sniffing at George’s hand before butting her head into it. ‘’You remind me of Ollie,’’ George cooed, a soft smile settling on his features.   
  
Dream looked at George fondly before standing up, ‘’Gimme your coat,’’ Dream mumbled. George handed it to him after slipping it off, seeing Dream place it on the coat rack in the corner of his eyes.   
  
‘’Do you wanna start the tour?’’ Dream asked while shutting the door with a loud thump, causing Patches to jump.   
  
‘’Sure,’’ George said while standing up, glancing around his new surroundings.   
  
‘’Living room,’’ Dream muttered as he walked forward, holding his arms out to emphasise what room it was.   
  
George glanced at Dream’s hands, swallowing a wad of spit as they curled into loose fists and fell back to his side. ‘’Kitchen is this way,’’ Dream said while walking, not noticing the significant flush that appeared on George’s face.   
  
‘’Bathroom is right there,’’ Dream pointed to a door while George nodded.   
  
‘’My bedroom is upstairs, I don’t really feel like going up there though.’’   
  
George nodded again as they walked into the living room. ‘’Your house is nice,’’ George said with a faint smile.   
  
‘’Thanks. I’m gonna go make you some food, do you wanna start after?’’ Dream asked, tilting his head.   
  
George nodded, excitement coursing through his veins. ‘’Alright, sit down, I’ll be right back.’’ George did as he was told, sliding his shoes off haphazardly and sat on the couch with his legs underneath himself.   
  
Patches stared at him as Dream walked away, ‘’What’s up?’’ He asked quietly, staring back at Patches. She walked over to him, jumping onto the couch next to him and laid down, her tail thumping against the couch as he pet her.   
  
A few minutes later, Dream came back with a plate, a bottle of water and a little baggy.   
  
George looked at the dish as Dream set it down, alongside the water bottle and baggy, delighted to see a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It was even cut into triangles.   
  
‘’How nice,’’ George said softly.   
  
‘’You seem like the type of person who enjoys their sandwiches like that,’’ Dream said while sitting down. ‘’And you’re right,’’ George said while picking up one of the sandwich halves, taking a bite.   
  
Dream reached for the remote, and George watched with wide eyes as Dream’s hands wrapped around the remote, veins subtlety popping out.   
  
George cleared his throat and looked away, leaning farther into the couch in an attempt to get comfy. He took another bite of his sandwich, looking at the TV as Dream flicked through channels. ‘’Anything in mind?’’ Dream asked, looking at George, who shook his head and took another bite of his sandwich.   
  
After a few seconds, Dream settled on a drama show that George didn’t know and leaned back, a defeated sigh leaving him.   
  
George looked at Dream, his eyebrows furrowing at Dream’s obvious exhaustion. ‘’I hope I’m not a bother by being here,’’ George asked quietly.   
  
‘’No, you’re not,’’ Dream reassured. ‘’I’d want you to roll with me to look after you over someone else,’’ He mumbled.   
  
George smiled at that and looked away, taking another bite.   
  
‘’Do I have to eat more?’’ George asked as he finished the first half, glancing down at the other half.   
  
‘’I’d prefer if you did,’’ Dream said, looking away from the TV to look at George. George sighed and grabbed the other half, taking a reluctant bite.   
  
‘’I’m just trying my best to make this a good experience,’’ Dream said as he watched George eat the other half tensely. ‘’I know,’’ George said quietly, ‘’It’s okay.’’    
  
‘’I’m gonna go get into comfier clothes,’’ Dream said before getting up, disappearing upstairs.   
  
While Dream was gone, George finished the sandwich and opened the water bottle, taking a quick swig. He pet Patches with a gentle touch, scratching behind her ear occasionally.   
  
‘’You done?’’ Dream asked, now wearing a hoodie and grey sweatpants.   
  
‘’Yeah,’’ George bubbled, excited for what was to come.   
  
‘’Okay, now take this,’’ Dream said, handing George the clear baggy, which held a bright blue pill inside. George didn’t say anything as he opened the bag, placing the pill in the middle of his palm. He grabbed the water bottle, taking a quick swig before putting the pill in his mouth and swallowing.   
  
‘’You should feel the effects soon, let’s just talk for now, alright?’’ Dream said with a smile, sitting down across from George.   
  
‘’Okay!’’ George beamed, continuing to pet Patches. ‘’How have you been?’’ Dream asked, as if they didn’t just spend a week together.   
  
‘’I’ve been okay,’’ George replied, focusing on Patches.   
  
‘’What about Sapnap?’’   
  
‘’I haven’t really spoken to him, but I’m sure he’s alright,’’ George glanced up from Patches and made eye contact with Dream. ‘’Oh, I don’t doubt it, but it’s always good to look out for your friends,’’ Dream said.   
  
‘’What’s your favourite food?’’ Dream asked, studying George as he thought about it. ‘’I dunno,’’ George admitted, not having a love for any particular food. ‘’Salads are cool, like, fruit salad.’’ Dream nodded, ‘’I agree.’’   
  
‘’What about your favourite colour?’’   
  
‘’Well, I can only see blue, so… Take a guess,’’ George chuckled.   
  
‘’Favourite cocktail?’’   
  
‘’Mojito,’’ George mumbled, ‘’Maybe a whiskey sour, I dunno.’’    
  
‘’You’re very unsure about everything,’’ Dream noted, watching as George pulled his hands away from Patches and started to rub his hands together. ‘’You’re right,’’ George said, looking up. ‘’I am super unsure.’’   
  
Dream turned his attention back to the TV, occasionally glancing at George to make sure he wasn’t doing anything stupid.   
  


* * *

**  
_***_ **   
Close to an hour had passed, and when Dream looked back at George, he was rubbing his hands along the couch with wide, blown eyes.   
  
The leather couch didn’t have the same leather feeling. Instead, it was smooth, non-textured and nice to touch.   
  
George felt cloudy, a constant smile never leaving his face as he laid his face against the couch and made eye contact with Dream. ‘’Feeling alright?’’ Dream asked softly, tempted to run his fingers through George’s hair.   
  
‘’I feel great,’’ George mumbled, ‘’Dreamie, tell me about yourself,’’ George asked. ‘’Dreamie? That’s a new one,’’ Dream chuckled before looking up. ‘’Well, I also enjoy fruit salad, but my favourite colour is green.’’   
  
‘’I wish I could see green,’’ George grumbled, still running his fingers along the couch, occasionally moving them up and down his arms. ‘’I bet you green is an ugly colour,’’ George huffed, rolling his eyes. ‘’It’s probably stupid,’’ He decided.   
  
‘’We can go with that, if you want.’’   
  
‘’Can we talk about the sky?’’ George asked, looking at Dream again.   
  
‘’What’s up with the sky?’’ Dream asked, settling himself in front of George. ‘’It’s so pretty,’’ George smiled. ‘’Is the sunset pretty?’’ George asked, his speech going quicker than intended. ‘’I think so,’’ Dream responded.   
  
‘’Some people don’t like the sunset,’’ George pointed out, pushing himself up onto shaking legs. After a second of adjustment, George began to pace around the room. ‘’Why though? I can’t even see it properly and I think it’s nice…’’ He mumbled. ‘’What if the way I see colour is actually normal, and the colour you’re seeing isn’t normal?’’ George tilted his head, stopping in his tracks to look at Dream before continuing to pace.   
  
‘’I doubt that,’’ Dream snorted.   
  
‘’I bet you I’m right,’’ George giggled.   
  
‘’If you wanna believe that, sure,’’ Dream smiled and rolled his eyes.   
  
George went back to the couch and sat down next to Dream, laying his forehead on his shoulder while he played with the wrist cuff of Dream’s hoodie quietly. The fabric between his fingers was so soft, ready to lull him into peace.   
  
George couldn’t find any more words to speak, and instead took his forehead off of Dream’s shoulder, looking up at him with large, doe eyes.   
  
Dream smiled, relishing in the quiet between them.   
  
George dragged his gaze over Dream’s face, settling on his lips after a moment, his eyes tracing the curves of them. These were the same lips he had kissed just a few days ago.   
  
George put his head back down and wrapped his arms around Dream’s shoulders, hugging him tightly. He melted into it, closing his eyes and gently rubbing his face into Dream’s shoulder. Dream returned the hug, wrapping his arm around George and pulling him in impossibly closer.   
  
They laid there for a few minutes, listening to the sound of each other's breaths mingling together.   
  
George pulled away, quietly huffing. ‘’I need to pee…’’ He mumbled, unwrapping his arms from Dream’s shoulders. ‘’Okay, you know where it is,’’ Dream said with a soft smile, watching George as he carefully walked towards the bathroom.   
  
George pulled the door open and shut it after he walked in, fumbling with his fly for a few seconds. Once he got it down, he did his business and flushed the toilet, stumbling over to the mirror. George looked at himself, focusing on his blown-out pupils with a dopey smile.   
  
George quickly washed his hands, eyes widening at the feeling of the water. ‘’Woah…’’ He mumbled, holding his hands under the water for a second before pulling away, turning the sink off with a sigh.   
  
George opened the door, turning off the light before stumbling back into the living room, looking at Dream with a wide smile.   
  
He walked in front of Dream before settling on the floor, rubbing his hands over his knees and thighs. ‘’Dreamie?’’    
  
‘’Yes?’’   
  
‘’Describe green to me,’’ George asked, still rubbing his legs, soon moving over to the carpet.   
  
‘’Well… The shade of green I like is a warm colour, and it reminds me of a… Really good smoothie.’’ Dream settled on his response, looking down at the older.   
  
‘’I’ve never had a smoothie,’’ George mumbles.   
  
‘’If you’re feeling okay in the morning, we can make smoothies, okay?’’ Dream said with a smile as George nodded aggressively. ‘’That sounds fun!’’ He beamed, running his fingers through the carpet again.   
  
‘’You feeling alright?’’ Dream asked, his voice soft.   
  
‘’Yeah, I feel amazing!’’ George said with excitement, moving his hands from the carpet to his arms.   
  
‘’I’m sorry I can’t stop talking,’’ He said sheepishly.   
  
‘’It’s okay, Georgie.’’   
  
George got up, glancing around the living room before settling his eyes on the kitchen, taking a few shaky steps towards it. Dream got up as well and stood close behind him, watching him with confused eyes as he entered the kitchen and glanced around.   
  
George walked up to the sink and turned the water on, running his hands under it again.   
  
‘’Do you want an ice cube?’’ Dream asked, opening the freezer. ‘’Yes,’’ George mumbled while shutting the water off, now standing next to Dream as he’s handed an ice cube.   
  
As soon as the ice cube hit his hand, his eyes widened with amazement. ‘’This feels so amazing,’’ He whispered, rubbing the ice cube against his face with a shiver.   
  
George held the ice cube till it was almost melted before popping it into his mouth and biting down, a loud crunch filling the kitchen as he chewed onto the ice.   
  
He rubbed the water off of his hands against his hoodie, drying his hands off, for the most part.   
  
‘’Dreamie, sway with me,’’ He mumbled, taking Dream’s hands into his own and slotting himself against Dream with a smile. Dream squeezed George’s hand reassuringly as they started swaying to inaudible music, dopey smiles settling on both of their faces. George laid his face flush against Dream’s chest, and let Dream rest his chin on the top of his head.   
  
Dream led George back into the living room, and once George was sure the couch was behind them, he flopped down, bringing Dream down with him. Dream huffed, not bothering to take his hands out of George’s as they sat in a comforting silence.   
  
‘’I like you,’’ George whispered, looking up at Dream.    
  
‘’What?’’ Dream tilted his head.   
  
‘’I like you… I believe you’ll protect me from anything,’’ George murmurs, snuggling farther into Dream’s chest.   
  
‘’I will,’’ Dream murmured back.   
  
‘’You’ll never hurt me.’’   
  
‘’I promise I won’t,’’ Dream smiled.   
  
‘’How long has it been?’’ George asked, yawning quietly. ‘’Almost three hours,’’ Dream replied, glancing at the clock on the wall. ‘’What?’’ George tilted his head before sighing. ‘’Time flies when you’re having fun, Georgie.’’   
  
‘’I’m tired…’’ He mumbled.   
  
‘’Go to bed,’’ Dream said, taking one of his hands out of George’s to run it through George’s hair.   
  
Within a few minutes, George is sleeping, and Dream can’t help but smile and snuggle further into him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning! i'm sorry for the wait, and im sorry for the uh?? well this chapter isnt the best ): i did put my blood, sweat, and (literal) tears into it though! its def rushed, but i want you guys to see the ending, and i want to finish it so i can take a short break and move onto different projects. i'm sorry about any weird parts when it comes to the mdma, all of these things george displays is from a concerning amount of research, since the most i've done is smoke a few joints and xanax.
> 
> you should totally user subscribe if you like cloud 9! it's free and you can unsubscribe at any time.(:
> 
> also, we get to see wilbur with an addiction. i didn't really feel good about only showing the positive sides of drugs, so i decided to throw the negative side of it as well. it comes in handy in the sequel!
> 
> this chapter was beta read by; [Spazuko](https://twitter.com/spazuko), you should give them a follow (: they post totally poggers art!!  
> my twitter is [M00BL00M_AO3_](https://twitter.com/M00BL00M_AO3_), you should follow it !! i post updates regarding chapters, and i love to interact with you guys (:
> 
> fun fact #17; bees have smelly feet due to a signature chemical on their body
> 
> we have a playlist now! it includes all of the current songs, and future songs!  
> [click here for playlist!!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gc9m8DyZGZ62YcIEk0b1N?si=KinE9Z2FRZm7ykO7j7hmDA)
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	22. Old News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> smoothies and concerning info

Calloused fingers ran through his hair, his eyes fluttering open reluctantly, a subtle ache and tiredness coated him like a blanket. George hummed softly, bringing his hands up to rub his eyes.   
  
‘’Good morning,’’ Dream mumbled as George put his hand down, a smile perking on George’s lips. ‘’Morning,’’ George murmured tiredly, cringing at the stiffness in his jaw. ‘’You feeling okay?’’ Dream asked, stilling his hand in George’s hair.   
  
George was quiet, relishing in the warmth that Dream let off. He inhaled and nodded, snuggling into Dream further.   
  
‘’Did you sleep okay?’’ Dream asked, his voice a touch quieter, looking down at George. He nodded again, tightening his grip on Dream’s hoodie in an attempt to get closer to the other. They were as close as they could be.   
  
Dream focused on the red tinge that George’s face held, tracing over his nose, he found a small splatter of freckles dotting the bridge of it. Dream had never noticed them until now. George’s hair was messy, sticking up in random places despite Dream’s fingers running through the knots of it majority of the night, and it seemed George had gone back to sleep, his breathing gentle and quiet.   
  
Dream felt a painful twinge in his chest, a small frown crossing his sleepy features.   
  
He wondered if George was feeling similarly to Dream; An aching heart, insufferable thoughts that seemed to chase him relentlessly, the constant sting of bile on the back of his throat. Did George know? Could he relate?   
  
Dream had an inkling that George felt the same.    
  
He could be horribly misinterpreting everything that’s happened so far, sure, but he didn’t want to waste his time focusing on the small chance of that being the truth. Even then, the possible truth was horribly bitter. Dream looked George over again and sighed, continuing to run his fingers through the olders hair, trying his best not to focus on the negatives.   
  
‘’What’s wrong?’’ George mumbled into his chest, startling Dream.   
  
‘’What?’’ Dream stupidly asked back, almost facepalming. ‘’I mean, nothing,’’ He added quickly. George lifted his head and looked up at Dream with a smile, ‘’You sure?’’   
  
‘’Yes, I’m sure. I thought you were asleep,’’ Dream said with a perpetually tired voice, a small smile on his face to try and hide his  trepidation. ‘’No, just resting my eyes,’’ George said back, bringing his hand up to his mouth while he yawned. ‘’That’s stupid, who rests their eyes?’’ Dream said while using his fingers to make quotation marks. ‘’That’s just sleeping,’’ He added.   
  
‘’No it’s not,’’ George said pointedly, rolling his eyes. ‘’It literally is, old people use it as a way to say they didn't sleep, when in reality they did,’’ Dream chuckled, bordering on a wheeze. ‘’That’s such a stupid way to view it as,’’ George huffed.   
  
‘’Shut up.’’   
  
‘’Whatever,’’ George said while leaning back into Dream’s touch. ‘’What time is it?’’ He asked, his speech muffled from Dream’s hoodie. ‘’Probably ten or so, I haven’t checked,’’ Dream answered. ‘’There’s a clock right there,’’ George said, looking up at Dream with annoyance.   
  
‘’I don’t feel like moving my eyes,’’ Dream smirked, knowing he was getting on George’s nerves.   
  
George’s lips pursed, an exasperated sigh leaving him. ‘’You’re so annoying,’’ George grumbled while pushing himself up, almost cringing at the loss of warmth. ‘’Oh come on,’’ Dream rolled his eyes, his smirk never leaving his face as George twisted his body to glance at the clock.   
  
‘’It’s twelve! you suck at guessing the time,’’ George groaned, flopping back down onto Dream’s lap. Dream inhaled sharply as a dull pain settled in his abdomen, his hands tensing in the air as George situated himself. ‘’I’m not sorry for that by the way,’’ George said.   
  
‘’You’re so mean to me,’’ Dream said quietly.   
  
‘’I know,’’ George said simply.   
  
A silence settled between them after Dream rolled his eyes, and Dream went back to running his fingers through George’s hair while he ‘ _ rested _ ’ his eyes. The term was stupid, really; No one rested their eyes.   
  
It’s just sleeping.  
  
  
****

* * *

**_  
  
_ **   
When George stopped ‘resting’ his eyes, it was two in the afternoon.   
  
‘’Good morning,’’ He said while getting up, shedding Dream similarly like a blanket. ‘’Jeez, good morning,’’ Dream said with raised brows.   
  
George discarded Dream’s good morning in favour of going to the bathroom, awkwardly stumbling down the hall and pushing the door open with half-lidded eyes. The ache in his jaw hadn’t dissipated, which annoyed him greatly.   
  
He glanced down and cringed at the fact he slept in jeans, fumbling with his zipper yet again. His hand coordination seemed to be worse than it was yesterday, funnily enough.   
  
After he finished, he lazily zipped his zipper up again, flushing the toilet before walking over to the sink, resting his elbows on the edges of it while staring at himself in the mirror. His hair was messy, he had visible eyebags, his lips were chapped, he overall looked like shit. He felt pretty okay though, a little tired and sore, sure, but overall okay.   
  
He washed his hands, drying them off before opening the door and walking out, slightly more coordinated now that he was fully awake.   
  
‘’My sleeping beauty,’’ Dream said with a smirk, musingly staring at George.   
  


His brain went against his wishes and fixated on Dream’s use of ‘my’, a subtle heat settling on his cheeks as he sat back down on the couch. ‘’Shut up,’’ He rolled his eyes, fiddling with his fingernails. ‘’Are you hungry?’’ Dream questioned, still smiling.   
  
‘’Kind of,’’ George answered, not entirely sure how he was feeling in that department. ‘’Well, I said we could make smoothies yesterday if you felt alright,’’ Dream started, getting up. ‘’So, are you still up for that?’’ He tilted his head.   
  
‘’Yeah,’’ George said after a moment of thought, pushing himself back up alongside Dream. Dream went in front of George, leading them to the kitchen, where George leaned against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest.   
  
Dream pulled out a blender from a cabinet underneath the sink, setting it on the counter next to Dream. ‘’What kinda fruit do you like?’’ Dream questioned while opening the fridge, leaning down to view its contents in full. ‘’I dunno, strawberries?’’ George said with an unsure tone. ‘’I don’t eat a lot of fruit,’’ He said after a Dream pulled out a container of strawberries. ‘’Well, I am going to change that,’’ Dream said confidently.   
  
‘’Sure,’’ George snorted.   
  
Dream pulled the pitcher off the blender, taking its top off to run water through it. ‘’I will,’’ Dream said while looking at him, pouring water out of the pitcher. ‘’Any other fruit?’’ Dream asked, going back to the fridge. ‘’Blueberries,’’ George answered after a moment.   
  
‘’Good choice,’’ Dream said while pulling out a container of blueberries.   
  
‘’I’m always right, so of course it’s a good choice,’’ George said snarkily. ‘’Don’t pull this shit again,’’ Dream groaned, staring down at him with a steely gaze. ‘’Don’t pull that look! What the hell,’’ George snapped back, his arms tensing.   
  
‘’Oh, what? Are you intimidated?’’ Dream said coyly before breaking into a wheeze, slapping the counter. ‘’Shut up!’’ George yelps, his cheeks heating up in humiliation. ‘’Oh my god, you totally are!’’ Dream continued to wheeze, now leaning his forehead against the counter.   
  
‘’No I’m not, be quiet,’’ George grumbled, looking away with furrowed brows.   
  
‘’It’s okay Georgie, it’s totally understandable,’’ Dream said, his voice wavering nearing the end whilst he smiled. ‘’You’re so mean to me,’’ George said, unrolling his arms from his chest. ‘’I know,’’ Dream said while putting a handful of blueberries in the pitcher.   
  
He turned around and went back to the fridge, pulling out yogurt. He shut the door, grabbing a spoon from the dish-rack. ‘’Just blueberries and strawberries?’’ Dream asked while opening the yogurt. George nodded, watching Dream’s hands flex with half-lidded eyes. Dream scooped up some yogurt, putting it in the blender. ‘’Can you go get the ice please?’’ Dream asked softly while grabbing the strawberries and a knife, beginning to cut the green parts off.   
  
George got off the counter and walked up to the fridge, opening the freezer to see it being mostly empty. ‘’You gotta get more frozen stuff,’’ George said while grabbing an ice tray and shutting the door. George walked back over and handed the tray to Dream, who took it out of his hands and began popping ice cubes out. ‘’I’m gonna choose to ignore what you said,’’ Dream said while placing the ice cubes and strawberries into the pitcher. ‘’Whatever,’’ George scoffed.   
  
Dream put the top back on the pitcher, about to press the pulse button, before his phone rang.   
  
Both of their heads snapped to the device that kept buzzing on the counter, moving ever so slightly. ‘’One sec,’’ Dream mumbled, picking the phone up. His eyebrows furrowed at Ponk’s contact name, quickly swiping to accept the call, putting it to his ear. ‘’Yeah?’’ He said nonchalantly, looking up at George with a smile.   
  
‘’Hey, your online sales are skyrocketing,’’ Ponk said simply, shuffling from the other end.   
  
‘’How much?’’ Dream asked.   
  
‘’Probably twenty percent more.’’   
  
Dream’s eyebrows raised, a small shock filling his system. ‘’Oh,’’ He mumbled, glancing up at George, who had a confused expression.   
  
‘’Yeah, you gotta start being more careful. Maybe you should consider working under my roof,’’ Ponk suggested, which earned a groan from Dream. ‘’I’m with George, can we talk about this later?’’ He said.   
  
‘’Sure, goodbye,’’ Ponk said before the end dial rang through the phone and Dream put it down. ‘’What was that about?’’ George asked.   
  
‘’Just Ponk telling me about my sales, guess they went up twenty percent,’’ Dream replied, not missing the silent beat that filled the kitchen. ‘’Oh,’’ George mumbled, jumping as Dream pressed the pulse button on the blender, the noise startling him.    
  
Within a few seconds, the noise stopped and Dream reached up, grabbing a cup from a cabinet. He poured the smoothie into the cup and slid it over to George, who picked it up and sniffed it. ‘’I promise I didn’t poison it,’’ Dream said with a smirk, watching as George’s nose scrunched up. George took a hesitant sip, a smile landing onto his lips as the taste of berries washed over his tongue, exploding delightfully.   
  
‘’This is good,’’ George mumbled before taking another sip, watching as Dream poured himself the other half of the smoothie into a cup.   
  
Dream didn’t say anything in return, just gave him a soft glance and a fond smile.   
  
It was quiet until both of them finished their smoothies, Dream being the first one to speak, ‘’Do you want me to drive you home now?’’   
  
George nodded, ‘’I have to feed Ollie.’’   
  
‘’Alright, go get your stuff ready while I wash these,’’ Dream said as George placed his cup down and left the kitchen. George walked up to his shoes, sitting down to put them on. Patches walked up to him, a quiet meow leaving her as he ran his fingers along her back. ‘’I’ll be back soon, just for you,’’ George whispered with a smile.   
  
Dream came back out to see the display, his eyes scrunching with his smile. It was soft, Dream swore he could’ve died.   
  
‘’Are you ready to go?’’ He asked, eyes widening as George jumped. ‘’Yeah,’’ George said after a few seconds, standing back up. Dream handed him his coat, which he shrugged on, and opened the door, letting him walk out first.    
  
‘’Thank you for doing this with me,’’ George said quietly.   
  
‘’You’re welcome,’’ Dream replied, his stomach filling with butterflies as they got into his car and drove off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good morning. this chapter isnt long since i used all my writing juice making the last chapter- but i hope you guys enjoy regardless. (: also, i just want to thank you for 600+ kudos and over 10k hits!!!!! THATS LEGITMATELY INSANE. the feedback on this has just been so positive and it makes me so happy, so thank you so much (:
> 
> you should totally user subscribe if you enjoy cloud 9! its free and you can unsubscribe at any time (thats free as well)
> 
> this chapter was beta read by; [Spazuko](https://twitter.com/spazuko), you should give them a follow (: they post totally poggers art!!  
> my twitter is [M00BL00M_AO3_](https://twitter.com/M00BL00M_AO3_), you should follow it !! i post updates regarding chapters, and i love to interact with you guys (:
> 
> we have a playlist now! it includes all of the current songs, and future songs!  
> [click here for playlist!!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gc9m8DyZGZ62YcIEk0b1N?si=KinE9Z2FRZm7ykO7j7hmDA)
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	23. Cloud 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> forgot to give george a job at the start of this, so i gave him one and fired him. and then dream comforts him (:  
> ...  
> plus sadness at the end of the chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> content warning for a panic attack in detail.
> 
> proceed with caution (: ily

George shook violently as he stared at his manager, burning pinpricks of tears welling in his eyes causing his vision to blur and distort.   
  
‘’George, you’re always late! It’s bad for business, other staff can’t keep up, I cannot keep doing this with you,’’ She barked, her fists balling up with frustration. George couldn’t find the means to speak, much too overwhelmed to form a proper sentence without stumbling over words. He took a shuddering breath in while he punctured crescent shapes into his palms unconsciously, a few tears slipping from his eyes when he blinked.   
  
His manager brought her hand up to the bridge of her nose, pinching it while she shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. ‘’George, I think I’m gonna need to let you go,’’ She mumbled, not opening her eyes.   
  
George inhaled sharply, pinpricks of electrifying pain utting through his fingers and arms. ‘’Jess, you.. Please-’’ George stammered, trying to catch his breath as an invisible grip snaked its way around his neck. ‘’No, George I can’t do this, I’m not gonna get yelled at by HR again because of  _ your  _ mistakes, I’m sorry.’’ Jess breathed out, her words jumbling together.   
  
‘’Jess, please, I won’t be able to afford anything-’’ A harsh breath, ‘’Please, I know I messed up, I’ll make it up to you,’’ He stammered, balling his fists in the sleeves of his- Dream’s, hoodie.   
  
‘’Please leave,’’ Jess grumbled, wiping her eyes of tears that welled in anger.   
  
George stared at her with wide eyes before sniffling, trying to keep his whimpers in while grabbing his backpack. He checked inside to make sure he had everything and took a final glance at Jess, who was glaring at him, while on his way out. He didn’t bother to offer her a small wave like he normally did, too caught up in his own emotions.   
  
Once he was onto the, mostly empty, streets, he couldn’t hold in his sobs anymore. He brought his hand up to his mouth in an attempt to muffle the sound, his chest stuttering for breath while tears continuously spilled from his eyes.

  
Everything around him felt broken, a vague representation of what it used to be if anything. Buildings he used to recognise became a ghost in his mind, his glassy eyes darting across the entirety of the street. Few people were around, but those who were chose to stare at him like he was crazy.   
  
He bit down on his hoodie sleeve while using his other hand to wipe the tears, small whimpers leaving him as he walked faster, trying to avoid further prying eyes. His chest was aching by the time he got to his apartment, he didn’t take the elevator in fear of someone entering with him, opting to run up the stairs.   
  
When he stumbled into his apartment, out of breath and an acrid shade of red, he slammed the door and the dams in his brain broke, a loud sob leaving him while he slid against his door, his backpack creating a series of clicking noises as he tore it off and threw it blindly.   
  
He wrapped his arms around himself while he heaved for breath, pain enveloping his chest and stomach. His heart thudded against his ribs carelessly, his blood loudly pumping in his ears while his lungs tried to grasp onto a single breath. The sting of bile was bitter in the back of his throat as he dropped his head between his knees, curling in on himself as best as he could. He felt so small. His mouth hung open as he tried to gulp down air, barely succeeding with tireless efforts. A sharp dizziness caused him to sway, nausea crashing into him like a tidal wave.   
  
In a flurry, he pulled his phone out of his pocket with shaky fingers and opened Dream’s contact, hastily pressing the call button and putting it up to his ear.   
  
The ring tone mocked him as each second passed, tantalising him as his hope dwindled away by the third ring. He pulled the phone away from his face by the start of the fourth ring, ready to end the call before a slightly muffled  _ ‘’Hello?’’ _ came from his phone.   
  
George quickly put the phone back to his ear, taking a shuddering breath. ‘’Dreamie?’’   
  
‘’Hey George, you alright?’’ Dream asked with a worried tone.   
  
George felt a sob rip from his throat, his ribs rattling as he cried out. ‘’N..-No, I got fi..Fired,’’ He whimpered, his grip tightening on his phone. ‘’George, listen to me, It’s alright,’’ Dream tried to console, his tone soft. ‘’N..-’’ George tried to speak, a cough leaving him in place, a sudden shiver running up his spine. ‘’No..No It’s not, I won’t be able to af…-Afford to l..-Live,’’ George stammered, wiping the tears from his eyes.   
  
‘’How much is your rent?’’ Dream asked, his voice distant. ‘’Eleven hundred,’’ George mumbled. ‘’How much do you have?’’ Dream questioned. ‘’L..-Like, just enough,’’ George said, taking another shuddering breath. ‘’I won’t be able to p..-pay my bills, or go food shopping tho…-though,’’ He added after a moment, starting to collect his feelings in full.   
  
A dull ache finally settled in between his ribs, travelling along his stomach and blooming in his chest in a bittersweet harmony.   
  
‘’Pay your rent, and I’ll give you the money for your bills and food, okay?’’ Dream said, his tone soft and barely above a whisper. The serendipity of it calmed George down, a ghost of a smile reaching his lips.   
  
‘’You really don’t have to,’’ George mumbled, a subtle guilt finding its way into his head, nestling itself into the nooks and crannies. ‘’But I want to,’’ Dream said back.   
  
‘’Okay,’’ George went quiet after that, closing his sore eyes and listening to the barely audible sound of Dream breathing. He took another shuddering breath, his lip quivering as he exhaled. He was tired, beyond frustrated, and he didn’t want to be on this earth.   
  
He wondered what other planets would hold.   
  
Probably death. Space, void of air. Dark and cold; He could suffocate and die peacefully.   
  
Dream would miss him though, wouldn’t he?   
  
After another deep breath, he opened his eyes. ‘’I’m so tired of life,’’ He mumbled, his voice scratchy. ‘’Don’t say that, George,’’ Dream replied tenderly.   
  
‘’It’s true. Friend’s don’t lie,’’ George said, lowering his arm from his knee. ‘’You’re right, and I appreciate the honesty, but you shouldn’t be thinking that in the first place,’’ Was all Dream could say back.   
  
‘’I’m so tired, Dreamie. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight,’’ George said earnestly, loosening his grip on the phone. ‘’For the next few days, even,’’ He added.   
  
‘’Y’know what helps me fall asleep?’’ Dream said.   
  
George hummed, picking at his clothed knee. ‘’Falling asleep on call with someone,’’ Dream mumbled, his voice wavering near the end.   
  
George’s eyes widened, a burning flush settling on his cheeks as he glanced at his phone. ‘’I’ve never done that before,’’ George said, his voice quiet. ‘’So would you like to try it?’’ Dream asked, his smile clear as day.   
  
‘’...Sure,’’ George mumbled, a small smile pulling at his lips.   
  
‘’I have to get ready first,’’ He added after a moment, grimacing at his jeans. ‘’Sleeping in jeans sucks,’’ He whispered. ‘’Agreed,’’ Dream said.   
  
George groaned as he pushed himself up, a twinge of pain shooting through his chest. ‘’I feel winded,’’ George grumbled. ‘’You usually do after a panic attack,’’ Dream chuckled.    
  
George pulled the phone away from his face, tapping the speaker button. ‘’Can you hear me?’’ He asked while walking down his hall, gripping on the door frame as he walked into his room. ‘’Yep,’’ Dream confirmed, quiet shuffling present on the other end.   
  
George set his phone on his dresser while opening a drawer, picking out a pair of black sweatpants.   
  
‘’How long have you been having panic attacks?’’ Dream asked.   
  
‘’Since my dad left,’’ George mumbled while kicking his jeans off, pulling the sweatpants on with a small hop. ‘’Oh, same,’’ Dream said, his voice crackling from the bad service. ‘’When did your dad leave?’’ Dream asked, his voice unsure but steady.   
  
George glanced at the phone while tying the drawstrings of his sweatpants, ‘’When I was seven, I think. It’s kind of a blur,’’ He said, rolling the sleeves of his hoodie up before grabbing the phone. ‘’Hm, we’re pretty similar in that aspect,’’ Dream said.   
  
George hummed while walking out of his room, sliding into the bathroom. ‘’Did yours have a reason?’’ George asked while turning the sink on, grabbing his toothbrush and running it under the water after putting a glob of toothpaste on it,   
  
‘’Nope, he just left. Started a new family, from what I've seen.. Guess we weren’t enough,’’ Dream chuckled dryly, his tone clear with hurt. George hummed, his eyebrows furrowing. ‘’Mine started a new family too, discarded us as if we weren’t real,’’ George dryly said back.   
  
‘’We’re pretty similar, huh?’’   
  
‘’Seems so,’’ George mumbled before putting his toothbrush in his mouth, running it along his teeth with lazy circles.   
  
‘’What’s been up with your mother?’’ Dream said, causing George to cough in surprise. ‘’She’s uh…’’ He trailed off, spitting a wad of foamy toothpaste into the sink. ‘’She hasn’t talked to me since that night, and I haven’t seen much of Hannah,’’ He mumbled.   
  
‘’I’m sorry, Georgie.’’   
  
‘’Do you mind if we don’t talk about her?’’ George asked quietly. ‘’Of course,’’ Dream said, quick to change the topic. ‘’How has Ollie been?’’ Dream decided on asking after a few seconds. ‘’He’s been good, he was a little crazy when I got back to the house. Guess he smelled Patches,’’ He said before beginning to brush his teeth again.   
  
‘’Oh, I don’t doubt it. Patches is stinky,’’ Dream said, chucking softly.   
  
George spat out another wad of toothpaste, turning the tap back on and running his toothbrush under it, ridding it of the foamy substance.   
  
He turned the tap off once he was satisfied, a yawn leaving him as he dried his hands off. ‘’You getting tired?’’ Dream asked, voice gravelly and quiet. ‘’Yeah,’’ George hummed, grabbing his phone before shutting the light off and sauntering into his bedroom.   
  
With a huff, he flopped onto his bed, curling into the blanket while placing his phone next to his head.   
  
‘’What are you thinking about, Georgie?’’   
  
His eyes fluttered closed, a quiet sigh leaving him. ‘’Just about how much you mean to me,’’ He mumbled, only vaguely aware of the weight his words held. Dream sucked in a sharp breath on the other end, a heady exhale leaving him.   
  
‘’What do I mean to you?’’ Dream asked, his voice quiet.   
  
‘’More than words can explain,’’ George exhaled.   
  
‘’Maybe it’s everything, an infinite verse; Like space.’’ He mumbled, gripping his blanket. ‘’Love, perhaps?’’ He said, tone unsure, his eyes opening a bit. ‘’Love is an infinite verse,’’ His voice wavering. ‘’I like to believe it, at least.’’   
  
‘’What is love to you, Dream?’’ George mumbled.   
  
Dream was quiet for a few moments before exhaling, ‘’Love is whatever you are, George. I love you because you are love,’’ Dream said.   
  
George’s eyes fully opened at that, glancing at his phone. ‘’Dream?’’   
  
‘’Yes?’’   
  
‘’I feel like  _ I’m on cloud 9 with you _ ,’’ he said quietly.   
  
‘’Cloud 9?’’   
  
‘’Cloud 9,’’ George reiterated, exhaling.   
  
‘’..I’m glad,’’ Dream mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. George’s eyes fluttered closed again.   
  
‘’I love you,’’ George mumbled.   
  
‘’I love you too,’’ Dream replied.   
  
George wouldn’t realise what these words truly meant to him until much later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... yeah. two chapters left, huh? crazy. i can't believe it lol. writing this chapter honestly destroyed me. the minecraft credits destroy me. ''and the universe said i love you because you are love.'' its so funny that it came from a game as simple as minecraft, right? it means a lot to me tho (:
> 
> roll credits tho, lol.
> 
> you should totally user subscribe if you enjoy cloud 9! its free and you can unsubscribe at any time (thats free as well)
> 
> this chapter wasn't beta read! (:  
> my twitter is [M00BL00M_AO3_](https://twitter.com/M00BL00M_AO3_), you should follow it !! i post updates regarding chapters, and i love to interact with you guys (:
> 
> we have a playlist now! it includes all of the current songs, and future songs!  
> [click here for playlist!!](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gc9m8DyZGZ62YcIEk0b1N?si=KinE9Z2FRZm7ykO7j7hmDA)
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	24. Karma Police

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .. why is this guy buying so many drugs??

Despite the overwhelming cold that Earth decided to bestow upon them, Dream felt impossibly warm. Fire climbed up his ribs, piling up in his chest; Enough to warm his whole body head to toe. The fire burned within him dangerously, eternal and everlasting, never flickering; _Stagnant_ .   
  
The barely audible snoring coming from his phone was just fueling his fire, igniting it and warming it as well.   
  
He had told George he loved him last night.   
  
It was surreal how easily the words fell from his lips, hitting the ground with a sickening splat. He wasn’t sure if it was a bad thing or not either, since George had told him he also loved him in return. Was George being truthful? Should Dream have to worry?   
  
He was sure it was alright.   
  
Dream glanced down at his phone as George shuffled, a small groan coming from the phone after a moment. ‘’Dream?’’ George murmured, voice raspy and sleep-filled.  
  
‘’Yes?’’ Dream said, not bothering to fight the smile that splayed onto his lips.   
  
‘’Did you sleep?’’ George asked with more shuffling present, a small huff coming from him.  
  
‘’No, I didn’t get the chance,’’ Dream said quietly.  
  
‘’I thought that helped you?’’ George mumbled, his words jumbling together in a heap of tiredness.  
  
'’I wanted to make sure you were okay,’’ Dream responded while picking at the sleeve of his shirt.   
  
‘’You’re so dumb,’’ George chuckled.   
  
‘’Oh shut up,’’ Dream said coyly, his smile becoming slanted as he ran his hand across the back of his neck, nerves licking his fingers as they drummed against his hairline.   
  
‘’I have to do a dealing soon,’’ Dream said while putting his hand down, now tapping his thigh.   
  
‘’When is soon?’’ George asked, some clattering could be heard in the background.   
  
‘’An hour,’’ Dream provided while grabbing his phone and pushing himself up, now standing on unsteady feet that Patches chose to weave through. Dream glanced down at Patches before looking back at his phone, unsettled by the sudden bout of quietness. ‘’George?’’   
  
‘’Sorry, yeah?’’ George mumbled sheepishly.   
  
‘’I should probably go,’’ Dream said, not missing the sudden tension that surrounded them, a grimace falling onto his features. ‘’I gotta get ready, eat breakfast and stuff,’’ He mumbled.   
  
George sighed, ‘’Alright,’’ He said, voice quiet with something settled below thousands of layers.   
  
‘’I’ll talk to you later, okay?’’ Dream said tenderly.   
  
‘’Okay, bye Dream,’’ his voice wavering before steadying itself.  
  
‘’Bye, Georgie,’’ Dream mumbled before pressing the ‘end call’ button, a subtle guilt crawling through his bones as he put his phone in his pocket and went downstairs. He glanced at the couch, a small smile playing on his lips as he remembered the night from last week; The night that truly convinced Dream he was in love.

  
He went down the hall and into the kitchen, grabbing a cup from the cabinet. He glanced down at the cup, realising that it was the same one he drank from last week. A smoothie doesn't sound too bad right now.   
  
‘’I don’t have time,’’ He told himself while opening the fridge, pulling out a jug of water and setting it on the counter. He twisted the cap off, pouring some into the cup and taking large gulps once he set the jug down.   
  
He twisted the cap back on the jug, putting it in the fridge while leaning down, eyes dragging over the contents. After a few moments of consideration, he decided he’ll eat after the dealing.   
  
He took another sip from the cup before leaving the kitchen, running back up the stairs with a small huff. He walked into his bedroom and opened the drawers of his dresser, pulling out a pair of dark-washed jeans along with a lime hoodie. He smiled again, remembering the day he and George went to Wilbur’s house. George was wearing this hoodie.   
  
It was also the day he found out George is colourblind, that was a shocker.   
  
With a sigh, Dream kicked his sweatpants off after taking his phone out of the pocket, pulling his jeans up with a tired feeling sagging him down. He buttoned them and zipped them up, slipping the hoodie over his head. Before he left, he grabbed the plastic bag that held the order.   
  
As he left the room, he unlocked his phone, sending a quick text to George.   
  
**Dream, 9:12AM** **  
**_‘Going out now, I’ll call you after, alright? (:’_ _  
_ _  
_ **Gogy, 9:12AM** **  
**_‘okie [:’_ _  
_ _  
_ Dream smiled for the umpteenth time, an ache starting to settle in his cheekbones from their constant risen state; George just had an effect on him.   
  
He closed his phone as he hopped off of the last step, watching as Patches ran up to him, running her face along his leg while chittering. ‘’Hey pretty girl,’’ He said quietly. Her tail flicked as she looked up at him, blinking before meowing.   
  
‘’I’ll feed you when I get home, alrighty?’’ He said while straightening himself out, chuckling as she meowed loudly, her ears twitching. Dream walked up to his door, leaning against the wall as he slipped his shoes on, lazily tying them. There had been a few times that Dream almost bought velcro shoes in the past, tired of constantly having to tie them while running.   
  
Sapnap said it was a bad idea though, claiming his ‘shoe game’ already sucked enough.   
  
Dream shook his head while opening the door, cringing at the new layer of frost that clung to the ground. He was so ready for winter to be over.   
  
He was happy that the person suggested meeting up at a place not too far from his house, already getting sick of the cold that wrapped around his hands. He reached for the door, shutting it with a slam and turned the key in the keyhole, quickly jiggling the knob to make sure it was actually locked. Once he was sure it was locked, he made his way down the stairs, putting his hands in his pockets while he walked along the sidewalk.   
  
He was dealing with a new customer today, a guy named something along the lines of Sam, possibly Samuel? He wasn’t entirely sure. He wouldn’t bother to remember customers unless they came by often. The guy was buying a lot of stuff, hundreds of dollars worth of LSD, PCP, and MDMA. And, even when he went to Ponk and asked about the guy, Ponk claimed nothing seemed suspicious between their conversations.   
  
So Dream let it go.   
  
And as he walked up to the building the guy wanted to meet at, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anxiety. Alarm bells going off in his head, screaming that something was wrong. It was fine though, Dream trusted Ponk.   
  
Dream turned down the walkway, glancing around at the lack of people, a grimace falling on his face.   
  
‘’Dream, was it?’’ Someone called from behind him, his head snapping back to see a much shorter than himself, around George’s height, with a messy undercut, hints of gray running through the dark brown strands.  
  
‘’Yes sir,’’ Dream smiled, trying his best to not let the other know his nervousness.   
  
‘’And you’re…’’   
  
‘’Samuel,’’ The man provided with an unnerving smile.   
  
‘’Nice to meet you, Samuel,’’ Dream said while tightening his grip on the plastic bag. ‘’You owe me seven twenty-five,’’ Dream said, watching as Samuel’s face twisted into an unreadable expression. ‘’You’re buying quite a lot,’’ Dream added, trying to keep the smile on his face.   
  
Similarly to lightning, Dream saw the flash of Samuel’s blue jacket zip by him, his head snapping to look at the other before his face became flush with the ground, a tight grip bruising his wrists as a heavy weight settled on his lower back.   
  
‘’My name is Jordan Maron, I’m with the Grahamsville police department. Anything you say can, and will, be used against you in the court of law.’’   
  
It was like a slap in the face, a sudden burning sensation driving over Dream’s limbs. His eyes widened against the ground, his mouth lolling open in the slightest. The grip on his wrists became tighter as he released the bag from his hand, the sound of plastic hitting the ground barely audible to Dream.   
  
‘’Caught the suspect, West Palm road, abandoned docks,’’ Jordan said into his speaker, digging his knee into Dream’s back a little harsher.   
  
‘’You know, we’ve already done this before,’’ Jordan snided, huffing as he set his other knee next to Dream’s hip. ‘’I would’ve assumed that you had learned your lesson, but I was wrong,’’ He mumbled, similarly to a disappointed father. ‘’I have a boy around your age, been a trouble maker since he was born, I swear…’’ Jordan chuckled.   
  
‘’I’m hoping he never takes your path, someone who helps sick people get their fixes to feed their own addiction.’’ Dream wanted to say something at that, knowing damn well he wasn’t an addict of any sort, but chose to bite his tongue and sink into the ground, relaxing his muscles.   
  
Dream felt resentful, but at the same time he knew there was a possibility of this happening.   
  
He just hoped Ponk would get him a good lawyer, and that George would be okay.   
  
Dream frowned at the thought of George, a bitter feeling swaying in his stomach as he sunk down into a simple state. He felt unhinged, like everything was out of his grasp at the very moment. How would his sister feel? How would his mother feel? How would _George_ feel? Nausea clouded him, the sting of bile never leaving the back of his throat.   
  
Even as back-up came and escorted him to the police car, all he could think about was George.   
  
George would be okay, right?   
  
Surely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! typically i write the end notes a day or few prior to the actual upload, but i decided to write this one right before posting to just share my thoughts on everything. i was really REALLY scared to upload this chapter, i'm scared that this is overdone/cliche/easy to guess, etc. and it could be all of those things, totally! but after a a few long talks with a mixture of people, i kinda realised that it doesn't matter? 
> 
> either way, i hope you guys liked this chapter. i want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the support that this fic has gotten in such a short amount of time. next chapter will decide fate for all of the characters. (:
> 
> this chapter was beta read by; [Spazuko](https://twitter.com/spazuko), they post amazing art and you should go follow them!  
> my twitter is [M00BL00M_AO3_](https://twitter.com/M00BL00M_AO3_), i mostly just fuck around and talk about random shit, you should follow me (: i'm trying to get to 200 by the end of the month!
> 
> important info regarding BLM;
> 
> ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY;  
> https://tinyurl.com/abolishdeathpenalty0
> 
> HELP SAVE PERVIS PAYNE;  
> https://tinyurl.com/pervispayne0
> 
> MATTHEW RUSHIN;  
> https://neuroclastic.com/freematthewrushin/
> 
> BLM carrd; https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/


	25. not an update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cw for pet death

i'm writing this on my phone so i'm sorry for any mistakes.

i put my dog down today, and i won't be updating for a long time because of it. i know you guys are excited for the ending, but i need to take awhile to mourn. i loved him so much, and i'm sorry. ): i hope you guys understand.


End file.
